Harini Logan wins Scripps National Spelling Bee

[{"selector":"#anim-c1747675-aa46-45ab-a072-d665ea6d764f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8b0b069e-27d1-4286-bf5a-7d156a03006c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 100.05121%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":3000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6f6effa5-9b3f-433b-95ee-f7bad5935697","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-00d8f073-5dfb-4753-8503-74322457da74","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 514.47258%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}]

A seven-letter word for a small aquatic bird stood between Harini Logan of Texas and the National Spelling Bee title.

[{"selector":"#anim-258c8a2d-1f54-477b-8ebb-2858b93c82a0","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0b74847c-47f4-4ee7-b0cc-bb8592605ea4","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Following an 18-round tie between two strong competitors, Thursday's Scripps National Spelling Bee ended in a first: a spell-off between 14-year-old Harini Logan and 12-year-old Vikram Raju.

[{"selector":"#anim-d39ce9b1-401d-4a5f-9182-71c03c81bb9b","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a0951420-df69-4331-a1e8-091c7beb1ebd","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] "It was really just getting into that mindset where I could have that, just calmness, where I could focus on the words rather than getting stressed out," she said after winning the coveted title on "Good Morning America."

[{"selector":"#anim-aa1a9ae1-f9c5-41e1-a15a-52f5fbf72257","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-98432ec4-5e5a-47ed-bb14-ac08a88b8443","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.3333333333333333)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] The runner-up, Raju, correctly spelled 15 words in the spell-off, answering slightly slower than Logan, who barely paused to breathe while confidently spelling words that most viewers had probably never heard of.

[{"selector":"#anim-10574b34-78cc-43f3-bd0c-946631e4fa6c","keyframes":{"opacity":[1,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3352e94a-bb4c-42e9-9ec2-9a63e49c07b7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(3)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] Over the past 20 years, the Bee has evolved into an event on par with the most prestigious sporting events, with contestants making significant advances in concentration and comprehension.