Faizan Zaki, 13, won the Scripps National Spelling Bee championship after nearly throwing it away due to overconfidence. The favorite entering the competition last year as a runner-up finisher, Faizan wore expectations lightly and showed joy when spelling words on stage.
During Thursday night’s finals, Faizan looked like a champion in waiting but made a shocking moment of overconfidence when he misspelled a word. However, he seized the title with two words left to go. The competition was tight, with Sarvadnya Kadam and Sarv Dharavane missing their words back-to-back.
The final round featured 100-year-old bee that saw three perfect rounds and six spellers get 28 consecutive words right. Faizan’s relaxed approach and showman instincts earned him the title despite a rare moment of overconfidence.
Faizan had three coaches: Scott Remer, Sam Evans, and Sohum Sukhantankar, who helped him develop a unique approach to spelling that emphasized speed and enjoyment. He will donate a large portion of his winnings to charity, increasing his bee earnings to $77,500.
This year’s competition celebrates the bee’s 100th anniversary, with Indian Americans making up 30 of the past 36 champions. Faizan is the fifth runner-up in a century to come back and win the title. He has been spelling for over half his life and has a passion for language and words that sets him apart from other competitors.
Faizan’s father said he believes his son is the “GOAT” (greatest of all time), while Faizan himself downplays his achievement, saying he had fun with the competition despite nearly losing it.
Source: https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/45383907/texas-teen-faizan-zaki-wins-spelling-bee