Indian-origin students have triumphed four times in a row in the prestigious Spelling Bee championship of the US with 14-year-old Sukanya Roy correctly spelling the tongue-twister ‘cymotrichous’ to be crowned the new champion.
“My heart started pounding, I guess,” Sukanya said, after winning the championship, considered as a coveted prize for students in the US. Sukanya spelt the word “cymotrichous” which relates to wavy hair, correctly to win the coveted prize for students in the US.
“I couldn’t believe it...It’s just amazing. It’s hard to put into words,” the Class 8 student of Pennsylvania’s Abington Heights Middle School said. She was declared winner following the finals between 13 candidates last evening.
The teenager earlier participated in the 2009 and 2010 Scripps National Spelling Bees, tying for 12th place in 2009 and 20th place in 2010. This is the fourth year in succession and ninth time in 13 years that an Indian American has been declared a Spelling Bee champion.
Sukanya enjoys hiking, rock climbing and ice skating. She was selected to go to Panama this summer with her school’s ecology club to learn more about the rain forest.
A pianist, Sukanya also plays violin in her school’s orchestra. She had won first place in the individual portion of the Northeast Pennsylvania Chapter Mathcounts Competition.