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| Arvind Mahankali |
(Scroll down for video) Do you know the Yiddish word for “matzoh ball”? You should, because a boy just won the National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling “knaidel”.
After years of heartbreaking close calls, Arvind Mahankali from Germany, became the champion of spelling of the English language.
The 13-year-old from Bayside Hills, New York, correctly spelled "knaidel", to win the 86th Scripps National Spelling Bee on Thursday night. The spelling bee tested brain power, composure, and for the first time, the knowledge of vocabulary.
Arvind finished third in 2011 and 2012 and on both occasions, was removed for wrongly spelling German-derived words. This time, he got a German word in the final, and the winning word was derived from German Yiddish, causing groans and laughter from the crowd. He writes both with ease.
"The German curse has become a German blessing for me," he said.
Arvind beat 11 other finalists, all but one of whom had been in the National Spelling Bee earlier. The bee was nearly 2 and a half hours long, and the competition was televised nationally.
When he was announced as the winner, Arvind looked up at the confetti falling on him and cracked his knuckles, his signature gesture during his appearances in the bees. He will take home $30,000 in cash and prizes, along with a large cup-shaped trophy. The skinny teenager, wearing a white polo shirt and wire-rimmed glasses, was joined on stage in the Washington area room by his parents and younger brother.Mobile video not loading? Click here to view