Texas seventh grader Vihaan Sibal, speller 205, is nervous and excited.
Vihaan is in his second Finals and said he’s happy to participate at this level – last year, he tied for seventh place in Orlando in a mostly virtual Bee.
“It’s a lot more fun in D.C.,” he said. “It’s more inclusive.”
Vihaan plays tennis and cello, practices math and sings. After the Bee, he said, he plans to go home, hang out with friends and take a break.
But before that, Vihaan will take the stage to fans in Texas and as far away as Vietnam. He said it’s nice to know he has that support.
“Anything you work for is going to feel amazing when you actually achieve what you’ve been working for,” he said. “So it’s worth a shot.”