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Lawrenceville Today
By the People, for the People
Jeopardy! Champ Jamie Ding's Childhood Photo With Alex Trebek Surfaces
The contestant's early connection to the iconic game show host has fans buzzing.
Apr. 14, 2026 at 5:09pm
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A childhood photo of Jeopardy! champion Jamie Ding standing behind host Alex Trebek at the 2004 National Geographic Bee foreshadows the contestant's future success on the iconic game show.Lawrenceville TodayJeopardy! fans were delighted to discover a childhood photo of current super champion Jamie Ding standing in the audience of the National Geographic Bee competition, which was hosted by former Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. Ding, who is currently on a winning streak on Jeopardy!, recounted the story of not recognizing Trebek without his iconic mustache during the bee in 2004, when Ding was just a young student.
Why it matters
The resurfaced photo provides a fascinating glimpse into Ding's early connection to Jeopardy! and Trebek, foreshadowing his future success on the game show. Fans are excited to see how Ding's journey has come full circle, from competing against Trebek as a child to now dominating the game show Trebek hosted for decades.
The details
In 2004, a young Jamie Ding competed in the National Geographic Bee, which Trebek hosted from its inception in 1989 until 2013. Though Ding did not win the bee, he was photographed in the audience, standing a few rows behind Trebek as the host announced the winners. Years later, Ding recounted this experience on Jeopardy!, telling host Ken Jennings that he didn't recognize Trebek at the time because the host had shaved his iconic mustache.
- The National Geographic Bee where Ding and Trebek were photographed together took place on May 26, 2004.
- Ken Jennings' historic 74-game Jeopardy! winning streak began just one week later, on June 2, 2004.
The players
Jamie Ding
A law student from Lawrenceville, New Jersey who is currently on a winning streak on Jeopardy!. In 2004, he competed in the National Geographic Bee, where he was photographed standing behind host Alex Trebek.
Alex Trebek
The iconic host of Jeopardy! from 1984 until his passing in 2020. He also hosted the National Geographic Bee competition from its inception in 1989 until 2013.
Ken Jennings
A former Jeopardy! champion who holds the record for the longest winning streak on the show, with 74 consecutive victories in 2004.
What’s next
As Ding continues his Jeopardy! winning streak, fans are eager to see if he can follow in the footsteps of other legendary champions like Ken Jennings and potentially become a millionaire on the show.
The takeaway
The resurfaced photo of Jamie Ding and Alex Trebek at the 2004 National Geographic Bee highlights the serendipitous connections in the world of Jeopardy!, where a young contestant's early encounter with the iconic host foreshadowed his future success on the game show years later.
