Shrey Parikh wins the Scripps National Spelling Bee, beating Ishaan Gupta in lightning round

E.W. Scripps Company president and CEO Adam Symson, right, holds the trophy over winner of the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee, Shrey Parikh, 14, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., at DAR Constitution Hall, Thursday, May 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

E.W. Scripps Company president and CEO Adam Symson, right, holds the trophy over winner of the 2026 Scripps National Spelling Bee, Shrey Parikh, 14, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif., at DAR Constitution Hall, Thursday, May 28, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Shrey Parikh felt the pressure of arriving at the Scripps National Spelling Bee as a favorite, but his confidence showed every time he got a word h...