Kush Sharma, a 13-year-old seventh grader of Indian origin, won the Jackson County Spelling Bee in Kansas City, Missouri after a marathon spelling bee against 11-year-old fifth grader Sophia Hoffman that lasted over an hour and included 29 additional rounds. The bee began two weeks prior but had to be extended after both competitors spelled all the initial words correctly. In the final 29th round, Sophia misspelled the word "stifling," allowing Kush to claim the title after correctly spelling his final word "definition." Both competitors said they had become close friends through the experience and planned to compete again next year. Kush will now advance to the National Spelling Bee in Washington