Faizan Zaki Says Twin Sister Knew He'd Win Scripps National Spelling Bee, Credits Parents for Helping When He Felt Burnt Out
After his big win, the young Texan received "hundreds" of messages from friends and classmates
His family was his integral to his victory, he tells PEOPLE, sharing how his twin sister kept telling him he was going to win, while his parents helped when he felt burnt outBefore Faizan Zaki's Scripps National Spelling Bee win, he leaned on his family for support, including his twin sister, who had a feeling this was his year.
'She kept saying, 'Oh my God, you're going to win, Faizan,' ' the 13-year-old Texan remembers his sister Zara saying before he won the final round, which aired on Thursday, May 29.
"Honestly, I didn't believe her at first," he tells PEOPLE, but adds that "it was just nice hearing her say that."
"That really reassured me," he says.
The teen was the runner-up last year and dedicated himself to preparing before reentering the competition. He says he spent about five or six hours a day during the week — and even more on the weekends — reading the dictionary to spot words he didn't know.
While he trained with coaches, Faizan says his parents — mother Arshia Quadri and father Zaki Anwar — were instrumental in his success.
'In mid-April, I got really burnt out from studying,' says Faizan. 'But then my mom and my dad, they really supported me."
'I don't recall exactly what my dad said, but it was just so encouraging,' he adds.
Sometimes, his parents would sit by him while he was studying as a show of support. They'd been there from the very beginning. Although Faizan isn't sure what first drew him to spelling and a love of words, he says his mom has a video of him when he was only 2 years old reading full sentences.
'I really had that passion for words and reading and linguistics and stuff,' he says.
Early on, his family realized he was a 'natural" — and he first entered the National Spelling Bee when he was 7.
'I honestly wouldn't be here without them,' he says.
He also received support from his classmates and friends. Some of them had an online viewing party, so they could watch as he secured his big win during the 11th round of the finals with the word "éclaircissement." (The word means "a clearing up of something obscure," according to Merriam-Webster.)
Faizan made headlines for the way he immediately leaped into spelling the French word, without asking standard questions about the word's origin or definition. 'I immediately recognized the word,' he says. 'So, without hesitation, I went straight for it.'
When he finally had a moment to look at his phone, the teen found 'hundreds' of messages from friends — just like this twin, they were all confident he was going to win.
'They kept texting me like, 'You got this.' And, 'Oh my God, you're going to do so well,' ' Faizan recalls of the encouraging texts. He was most appreciative of a former competitor, Shrey Parikh, who participated in the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
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'Even when he lost, he was so brave in that moment and that really inspired me,' says Faizan, who adds that this year Parikh 'was there for me all the way.'
Faizan plans on continuing the cycle of generosity. The winner will receive $50,000 in cash from Scripps, $2,500 cash prize and reference library from Merriam-Webster and $400 worth of reference works from Encyclopædia Britannica, according to Scripps.
The teen says he plans on saving half of the money for college — he plans on becoming a neurosurgeon one day — and donating half to charity.
'Seeing people in poverty, it's just really unfortunate,' says Faizan. 'I want to help change that.'
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