And the winning word is: A 14-year-old from Florida wins the National Spelling Bee

Dev Shah, 14, from Largo, Fla., reacts as he wins the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals, Thursday, June 1, 2023, in Oxon Hill, Md. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

Fifteen months ago, Dev Shah spent a miserable five hours spelling outdoors in chilly, windy, damp conditions at a supersize regional competition in Orlando, Florida, only to fall short of his dream of returning to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

“Despondent is the right word,” Dev said. “I just didn’t know if I wanted to keep continuing.”

Look at him now.