Brian Hagberg
CULVER CITY, Calif. – The dream lives on for Katie Sekelsky.
Sekelsky, a 2004 Warren Area High School graduate who now lives in Kent, Ohio, not only fulfilled a life-long dream when she appeared on Jeopardy! Friday night, she officially became a Jeopardy! champion as well. She won Friday’s episode with a total of $7,999, well in front of the other two contestants ($2,800 and $1,800).
When Sekelsky spoke with Your Daily Local earlier this week, she said that she was originally scheduled to tape an episode in March 2020, but the COVID-19 pandemic pushed her taping back to February 2021. That wait gave her extra time to practice.
“I have a flashcard app on my phone and even practiced wager strategy,” Sekelsky said. “It’s something not as many people talk about, going into Final Jeopardy!”
The practice paid off. Entering Final Jeopardy, Sekelsky trailed one of the other contestants $12,800 to $11,200. Both missed the answer, but Sekelsky only wagered $3,201 while the other contestant wagered $10,000.
Friends, family, and fans will have to tune in to Monday’s episode (7:30 p.m. on ABC) to see if Sekelsky defends her Jeopardy! title.
