Zaila Avant-garde Wins Scripps National Spelling Bee

ORLANDO, FL — At 14, Zaila Avant-garde already is a girl of many accomplishments. She's a basketball prodigy. She’s also a three-time Guinness world record holder.

On Thursday night, she added another spectacular feat to her repertoire: a national spelling bee championship.

Zaila, from Harvey, Louisiana, took home the coveted trophy for winning the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee, held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney Resort in Orlando.

Her winning word: Murraya, a genus of tropical Asiatic and Australian tree. When she was announced the winner, she jumped and twirled with joy.

“I was pretty relaxed on the subject of Murraya and pretty much any other word I got,” Zaila told The Associated Press.

Zaila is also the first African American participant to win the national spelling bee, The Associated Press reported. The only previous Black champion was also the only international winner: Jody-Anne Maxwell of Jamaica in 1998.

The importance of the moment wasn’t lost on Zaila, who knew Black kids around the country were watching Thursday night's telecast, hoping to follow in the footsteps of someone who looked like them, she told The AP.

She even thought of MacNolia Cox, who in 1936 became the first Black finalist at the bee and wasn't allowed to stay in the same hotel as the rest of the spellers.

It’s been quite a journey for Zaila, a basketball prodigy who owns three Guinness world records for dribbling multiple balls simultaneously and hopes to one day play in the WNBA or even coach in the NBA.

Spelling is a side hobby, she told The AP, though she routinely practiced for seven hours a day. In 2019, she tied for 370th place.

“I kind of thought I would never be into spelling again, but I'm also happy that I'm going to make a clean break from it,” Zaila told The AP. “I can go out, like my Guinness world records, just leave it right there, and walk off.”

As this year’s winner, Zaila will take home more than $50,000 in cash and prizes.

The runner-up was Chaitra Thummala, a 12-year-old from Frisco, Texas. She has two years of eligibility remaining and instantly becomes one of next year’s favorites. Bhavana Madini, a 13-year-old from Plainview, New York, finished third and also could be back.

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