Thirteen-year-old Faizan Zaki, who grew up in Allen, Texas, overcame eight other competitors on Thursday night to secure more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. After finishing as the runner-up in last year’s competition, losing to Bruhat Soma in a dramatic tie breaker also known as a spell-off, Faizan returned this year with determination and emerged as the champion.
In the final moments of the intense competition, only three contenders remained: Faizan, 14-year-old Sarvadnya Kadam, and 11-year-old Sarv Dharavane. All three misspelled their respective words in one of the final rounds, creating an unusual scenario. When Sarv misspelled his word again in the following round, the contest came down to Faizan and Sarvadnya.
The decisive moment came when Faizan was given the word “eclaircissement,” a noun defined as “the clearing up of something obscure.” Without hesitation and without asking a single question, Faizan confidently spelled the word. Upon completing the final letters correctly, he collapsed to the stage floor in a mix of relief and excitement, having finally achieved his long-awaited victory.
The competition was held just outside Washington, D.C., at the Gaylord National Resort. Next year, the prestigious event will return to the nation’s capital and take place at the historic Constitution Hall. Faizan’s win marks a significant milestone in his spelling journey, cementing his place among the elite champions of this annual event.
