In a dazzling display of linguistic prowess, 12-year-old Bruhat Soma clinched victory at the 96th Scripps National Spelling Bee, defeating his final opponent in the competition’s second-ever spell-off after correctly spelling 29 words. His remarkable achievement earned him not only the prestigious title but also a grand prize of $50,000. Bruhat’s journey to the top was nothing short of spectacular.

The young spelling prodigy impressed the judges and the audience with his unshakable confidence. He seemed to face no competition from his fellow spellers, the dictionary, or even the high-pressure lightning-round tiebreaker.

The Tie-Breaker Round That Got Super Famous~  

In the tiebreaker, Bruhat successfully spelled 29 words, defeating Faizan Zaki by eight to take home the title on Thursday night. The 12-year-old Florida seventh-grader had won three straight bees before traveling to a convention center outside of Washington, D.C., for the English language's most prestigious spelling bee. He quoted with pride  “I always want to win. And this was, like, my main goal,” Bruhat said. “It didn’t matter if I won all those other bees. This is what I was aiming for. So I’m just really happy that I won this.”

With just eight finalists at the start of the competition—the fewest since 2010—it was immediately apparent that Scripps was attempting to pack the two-hour broadcast window on ION, the network owned by the media business located in Cincinnati. Spellcasters were able to mingle with their coaches, family, and fans by the side of the stage during the long commercial pauses that occurred frequently to make a huge buzz about the contest.

During the match, before Bruhat and Faizan could even spell against one another in a traditional round, bee officials declared that it was time for the tiebreaker, sometimes known as a "spell-off." Bruhat took the first turn, and it seemed unbeatable after he completed 30 words. At first, Faizan's pace was more erratic. He made 25 attempts at words, mispronouncing four of them. Not long after Bruat received the trophy, Faizan was sobbing beside the stage and taking hugs from other spellers. He had hugged his close buddy Shrey Parikh only moments before, following Shrey's onstage elimination.

Bruhat Soma from Florida wins the Scripps National Spelling Bee over Faizan Zaki from Texas on Thursday in National Harbor, Maryland.  ( Photograph By: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters)

What  His Couch Evans and a Former Speller Has to Say on This ~ 

Scott Remer, a former speller, coach, study guide author, and Guardian contributor, hosted the Words of Wisdom bee, which Bruhat won. Also, he triumphed in the inaugural online spelling bee hosted by Dev Shah, the winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee the previous year. Before the finals, Bruhat's coach, 16-year-old Sam Evans, a former speller, declared, "He's competitive." After all, he enjoys victory!

Shrey and Faizan are close friends with Bruhat, and all three are tutored by Evans. "I'm not surprised that any of my students have made it this far. I know that they are all prepared. They have what it takes to win, all of them," Evans said. Bruhat in particular has impressed his coach and other onlookers with his clear command of the dictionary. 

Bruhat Soma celebrates with his family after Thursday night’s victory. 
(Photograph By: Will Oliver/EPA) 

“The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential… these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.” – Confucius, “The Analects” (483 BC)