Vanya Shivashankar, speller 90, has been coming to the bee since she was four years old. When she took the co-championship Thursday, she became the first sibling to win the top prize. Her sister, Kavya, was the 2009 champion.
"I never understood how nervous my parents were until I had to sit and watch Vanya," said Kavya, who just finished her sophomore year at Columbia University. "Being in the audience is nerve-wracking."
Kavya said she never had any doubt that her sister knew what she was doing. Vanya was the best-prepared she'd ever been, Kavya said.
"I think there was a little more pressure on Vanya," Kavya said. "She also really, really enjoys being here."
The sisters have no younger siblings to compete for more titles, but Kavya said they sometimes joke about whether their dog could qualify. Kavya said she hopes to continue coming back to watch the bee in the future, though she won't miss the feeling of waiting to see how it would turn out for Vanya.
"I've never had so much anxiety in my life," she said. "She made me so proud of her."