Bruhat Soma , Wins National Spelling Bee.br 12-year-old Bruhat from Tampa, Florida, won the Scripps National Spelling Bee on May 30.br 12-year-old Bruhat from Tampa, Florida, won the Scripps National Spelling Bee on May 30.br During a lightning-round tiebreaker with Faizan Zaki, Bruhat correctly spelled br 29 words in 90 seconds, AP reports. .br Bruhat received a trophy and br over $50,000 in cash and prizes.br I was pretty confident that I had br a chance at winning because I’ve br been working so hard. And I really br wanted to win. That’s why I br practiced the spell-off so much, Bruhat Soma, via statement.br The word that Bruhat won the br competition with was "abseil.".br It means "descent in mountaineering by means br of a rope looped over a projection above.".br The finals only had eight spellers competing, the fewest since 2010, AP reports. .br Some critics were upset that the two spellers were subjected to a "spell-off" instead of being given the chance to compete in a conventional round.br I do wish that we would br have gotten to see more br of a duel between them, Charlotte Walsh, 2023 Spelling Bee runner-up.