Faizan Zaki, a 14-year-old eighth-grader who attended school at the time of his victory, focused on spelling. This victory is all the more remarkable given that he was the runner-up just the year prior! This victory is a personal triumph for Zaki. It puts him in rarified air as the first champion to win after being a runner-up since Sean Conley in 2001. Zaki has now made history as only the fifth runner-up in a century to come back and win. This extraordinary accomplishment only adds to the legend of Spelling Sam, who has proven himself time and again to be the fiercest of all spelling adversaries.
Zaki has taken a much longer journey, powered by passion. For more than three-quarters of his life, he has deeply researched the realm of spelling. He made his National Spelling Bee debut at the age of just seven in 2019. And just last year, he fought tooth-and-nail in the rapid-fire lightning-round tiebreaker for first place vs Bruhat Soma. He says that losing as the runner-up stuck with him. Even after his setback, Zaki went on to never misspell in regular rounds that year’s national competition, proving his genius.
This year’s event was especially momentous for Zaki as he had aged out of the competition after this season. His preparation played right into his hands with a focus on speed, helping him jet past the rest of the field and secure the title. At his final winning turn, Zaki spelled “éclaircissement” on first pronunciation with no questions asked. This incredible victory cemented his genius as an artist and his poise in the eye of the storm.
This year, three passionate coaches—Scott Remer, Sam Evans, and Sohum Sukhantankar—were integral to Zaki’s success in preparing for the bee. Through their mentorship he was able to fine-tune his techniques and strategies, which led to their successful nomination.
Zaki’s background shapes his narrative. His father and mother, who emigrated from southern India, impressed upon Srinivasan the importance of hard work and never giving up at an early age. Looking back on his journey, Zaki said that after the win, he felt relieved and happy to have won, saying that “
“I decided to have fun with this bee, and I did well, and here I am.” – Faizan Zaki
His first place victory includes hefty monetary prizes, upping his bee earnings to $77,500. Last year, he showcased his spending bona fides with an eye-popping purchase. He treated himself to a $1,500 Rubik’s cube that features 21 tiles on each face.
Her father, Zaki Anwar, bragged about his son’s efforts and skills, claiming,
“He’s the GOAT. I actually believe that. He’s really good, man. He’s been doing it for so long, and he knows the dictionary in and out.” – Zaki Anwar
Zaki’s devotion to spelling can be seen during competitions as well as in Zaki’s free time. Bruhat Soma, last year’s opponent and friend, noted that Zaki often spends time exploring archaic and obsolete words outside of regular study sessions.
“One thing that differentiates him is he really has a passion for this. In his free time, when he’s not studying for the bee, he’s literally looking up archaic, obsolete words that have no chance of being asked.” – Bruhat Soma
Zaki goes the other way. He emphasized that titles are secondary to his love for language:
“I don’t think he cares as much about the title as his passion for language and words.” – Bruhat Soma