By: Gordon yang

Bruhat Soma, 12, a seventh-grader from Tampa, Florida, crushed a lightning tiebreaker round by spelling 29 words correctly in 90 seconds, who became the Scripps National Spelling Bee champ on May 30.

According to MLB.com, “On Thursday night, 12-year-old Bruhat Soma said he felt nervous. His heart started pounding before the ‘spell-off’ began. But the seventh-grade student from Tampa didn’t look rattled when he stepped up to start spelling.”

Bruhat has already attended the bee twice. In 2022, he tied for 163rd place. Last year, he came 74th.

Bruhat’s award includes more than $50,000, reference materials, and a trophy. It was presented to him by the president and CEO of the E.W. Scripps Company, Adam Symson. Symson said, “Bruhat impressed with his display of knowledge and composure.”

Based on the information from MLB.com, “Soma, who attends Turner/Bartels K-8 School in Tampa, was sponsored by the Rays Baseball Foundation and Rowdies Soccer Fund. The Rays were the first Major League team to partner with the Scripps National Spelling Bee to become a regional partner for the program, and Soma was one of three winners at the regional spelling bee held at Tropicana Field on Feb. 10.”

His spelling coach was a young 16-year-old named Sam Evans, who taught three of the top four finishers, and also announced to the Associated Press that Bruhat had put in lots of effort.

“I’m very happy that I could use my experience to help him, but at the end of the day, it’s all about his hard work and his dedication,” Evans said. “I’m so happy for him.”