History-Making Spelling Bee Champ Also Set 3 Guinness World Records—And People Are Rightly Obsessed

Zaila Avant-garde, a 14-year-old from New Orleans, won the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee Thursday night by correctly spelling the word "murraya.\u201d Zaila becomes the first African American national champion in the spelling bee\u2019s history.pic.twitter.com/QYbO9QPHqF

— Keith Boykin (@Keith Boykin) 1625796848

Yes, Zaila! We are so, so proud of you! pic.twitter.com/rp0gI4B5BE

— Michelle Obama (@Michelle Obama) 1625837761

Congratulations, Zaila! We\u2019re all so proud of you. I have a feeling this isn\u2019t the last time you\u2019ll be making history.https://twitter.com/ScrippsBee/status/1413316412609867776\u00a0\u2026

— President Biden (@President Biden) 1625860696

keep changing the game Zaila!!!!!https://twitter.com/AP/status/1412929690227064836\u00a0\u2026

— Stephen Curry (@Stephen Curry) 1625843645

C-o-n-g-r-a-t-u-l-a-t-i-o-n-s Zaila Avant-garde. But I\u2019m sure that would be easy for you to spell. Well done!https://twitter.com/espn/status/1413320250326753280\u00a0\u2026

— Dan Rather (@Dan Rather) 1625864511

Zaila Avant-garde appreciation post! \n\nThe first @ScrippsBee champion from Louisiana pic.twitter.com/f4IdykVnax

— New Orleans Saints (@New Orleans Saints) 1625835601

14-year-old Zaila Avant-garde is the 93rd Scripps National #SpellingBee champion.\n\nShe\u2019s also an elite middle-school basketball prospect \n\n(via @Basketballasart)pic.twitter.com/0BaA933iHz

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) 1625835296

She has exceptional focus and a high IQ. She will grow up to be a fine person who can do anything she sets her mind to do. But her greatest gift is supportive parents and teachers.

— Autumn \ud83c\udfb6 (@Autumn \ud83c\udfb6) 1625806006

Middle school hoop highlights of Zaila Avant-garde, the first African American to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee! \n\nThe 14-year-old also holds 3 Guiness World records for basketball dribbling.pic.twitter.com/49vO7OHcO8

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife.com) 1625834223

Zaila of house Avant-garde.\nFirst of her name. \nPhonetic phenom. \nViscountess of Vocabulary. \nBouncer of Basketballs and Big Words. \nGrand Princess of Guinness World Records.\nMulti-hyphenate Middle School Maven\nCelebrated champion.pic.twitter.com/frkiKQWqTD

— Luvvie is the #ProfessionalTroublemaker (@Luvvie is the #ProfessionalTroublemaker) 1625860768

She can SPELL and she can HOOP Her name is Zaila Avant-garde\n\nShoutout to Zaila for becoming the first African American Scripps Spelling Bee Champion pic.twitter.com/tp17Ly4fWk

— WNBA (@WNBA) 1625842676

She can ball out too, Zaila holds Guinness World Records for dribbling multiple basketballs\n\nYOU GO ZAILA \n\n( @Basketballasart)pic.twitter.com/q2HDQJuOJA

— WNBA (@WNBA) 1625843076

Zaila isn\u2019t just the first winner from Louisiana, but the first Black American winner too \u2014 as well as an accomplished basketball player.\n\nShe has a bright future ahead of her. Congratulations!https://twitter.com/ScrippsBee/status/1413316412609867776?s=20\u00a0\u2026

— Women's March (@Women's March) 1625881380

Zaila Avant-garde says basketball is her main passion \n\nLast night, she became the first African American Scripps National Spelling Bee champion\n\n(via @AP)pic.twitter.com/7IYOffKxL7

— Bleacher Report (@Bleacher Report) 1625855783

The word is 'star.' Definition: Zaila Avant-garde. \n\nCongratulations on your amazing #SpellingBee win, @BasketballAsArt! We hope you'll join the NASA family one day!https://twitter.com/ScrippsBee/status/1413293954989232128\u00a0\u2026

— NASA (@NASA) 1625850982