Faizan Zaki wins the Scripps National Spelling Bee a year after finishing runner-up

I think he cared too much about his aura.” ... 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's friend, Bruhat Soma, who beat him in the “spell-off” tiebreaker last year, said ... Meanwhile, his father, Anwar, said ... per the outlet

I’m definitely going to be having nightmares about that tonight,

he later said while standing next to the trophy, per Associated Press

He loves it. I mean he loves the learning and words, and so that has been like, you know, it's just been very easy, ... We just want him to be happy and, you know, experience that. You know the whole experience of going to the bee.”

Quadri told the outlet, adding

And if he can spell a few words there and get to a few rounds, then good for him, that would be amazing,

Zaki's father added at the time

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 said

No offense to Bruhat, but I think he really took the bee a little too seriously,

Faizan said

He's crazy. He's having a good time, and he's doing what he loves, which is spelling,

Evans said

Mary Brookshead judge

OK, let me do this. Oh, shoot!, Just ring the bell,

he told head judge Mary Brooks, who obliged

I don’t know what to say, I’m just really happy, ... I’m probably going stay up the entire night or something!”

he said, adding

What’s up?” ... Here goes nothing,

At one point in the evening, he went up to the microphone and asked the judges ... As the crowd giggled, he quipped

This was about the most exciting finish I've ever seen,

said Corrie Loeffler, the Bee's executive director, according to The New York Times

So now you know what happens,

Brooks said, and the other two spellers returned to the stage