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| Spelling Bee: Record eight children win Scripps National in the US | Spelling Bee: Record eight children win Scripps National in the US |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A record number of eight children have been crowned co-champions in the US of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. | A record number of eight children have been crowned co-champions in the US of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. |
| On Thursday night the finalists, aged 12 to 14, correctly spelled their way through 20 tough rounds of the competition. | On Thursday night the finalists, aged 12 to 14, correctly spelled their way through 20 tough rounds of the competition. |
| Organisers eventually announced that it was a tie, as they had run out of words that were challenging enough. | Organisers eventually announced that it was a tie, as they had run out of words that were challenging enough. |
| Officials say this is the first time in the competition's 94-year history that there have been eight winners. | Officials say this is the first time in the competition's 94-year history that there have been eight winners. |
| This year's contest was held in Oxon Hill in Maryland. It began on 26 May and lasted for three days. | |
| Some 562 super-spellers under the age of 15, from across the US, US territories and six other countries, took part. | Some 562 super-spellers under the age of 15, from across the US, US territories and six other countries, took part. |
| But it was Rishik Gandhasri, Saketh Sundar, Shruthika Padhy, Erin Howard, Sohum Sukhatankar, Abhijay Kodali, Christopher Serrao and Rohan Raja who took home the top title. | But it was Rishik Gandhasri, Saketh Sundar, Shruthika Padhy, Erin Howard, Sohum Sukhatankar, Abhijay Kodali, Christopher Serrao and Rohan Raja who took home the top title. |
| As the final eight stood strong in the 18th round, Jacques Bailly, the bee's pronouncer, told them: "We're throwing the dictionary at you, and, so far, you are showing the dictionary who's boss!" | As the final eight stood strong in the 18th round, Jacques Bailly, the bee's pronouncer, told them: "We're throwing the dictionary at you, and, so far, you are showing the dictionary who's boss!" |
| Saketh, 13, told Associated Press: "I don't know if I would've won if they kept going. I was super tired because it was like [midnight], and I was exhausted." | Saketh, 13, told Associated Press: "I don't know if I would've won if they kept going. I was super tired because it was like [midnight], and I was exhausted." |
| Each will now receive a prize of $50,000 (£39,700), a $2,500 savings bond and reference books. | Each will now receive a prize of $50,000 (£39,700), a $2,500 savings bond and reference books. |
| Among the words they spelled correctly were omphalopsychite, a person who stares at their navel to induce a mystical trance, and auftaktigkeit, a musical principle where all musical phrases begin on an upbeat. | Among the words they spelled correctly were omphalopsychite, a person who stares at their navel to induce a mystical trance, and auftaktigkeit, a musical principle where all musical phrases begin on an upbeat. |
| There were quite a few tough medical terms in there too - including erysipelas, an infection that causes red rashes on the skin, and geeldikkop, a type of plant poisoning that can affect sheep. | There were quite a few tough medical terms in there too - including erysipelas, an infection that causes red rashes on the skin, and geeldikkop, a type of plant poisoning that can affect sheep. |
| The Scripps National Spelling Bee was started in 1925. However, this is the 92nd event because there were no competitions held in 1943, 1944 or 1945. |