SA teen shines at World Cup Spelling Bee in Shanghai

Ashton Singh, a 13-year-old South African teenager, has made history by finishing eighth in the Senior Division at the inaugural World Cup Spelling Bee in Shanghai, China. Representing Team South Africa, Singh competed alongside 120 spellers from 11 countries across four age categories. His journey began at a Department of Education Regional Spelling Bee, where he finished third in the provincial competition and won it the following year.

He later secured a spot on Team South Africa after finishing second at the South African Spelling Bee.

Singh's mother, Anisha Singh, has been his dedicated coach, guiding him through a rigorous preparation process involving a 20,000-word bank provided by the World Spelling Bee. His coach emphasized that mastering the words required understanding their definitions, language of origin, and linguistic patterns, as well as breaking unfamiliar words into syllables and identifying familiar roots and sounds.

Despite facing disappointment when his team couldn't attend the African Spelling Bee in Nigeria due to lack of funding, Singh persevered and earned his place at the World Cup by finishing second in Zimbabwe. His coach described his achievement as historic, as the top 10 spellers were exceptionally evenly matched. Singh's success is attributed not only to his knowledge of the words but also his ability to remain calm under pressure.

His achievement has been celebrated by his school and family, with his teacher-librarian praising his well-rounded nature and confident public speaking skills. Singh's family has made significant sacrifices to support his competitions, and he aspires to win the South African and African Spelling Bee titles, inspire other young South African spellers, and continue challenging himself in academics, culture, and sport.