In an astonishing turn of events, a Toronto resident, Michael Jarman, soared to victory at the Microsoft Excel World Championships held in Las Vegas on December 4th. This remarkable achievement has earned him the title of global spreadsheet champion, and he proudly describes it as a "satisfying victory."

The championship saw Jarman go toe-to-toe with other elite competitors, tasked with resolving complex, "out-of-the-box problems" that tested their expertise in Excel functions, data management, and logical reasoning. The event wasn't just a battle of brains; it was a spectacle witnessed by a live audience of hundreds and streamed worldwide on platforms like ESPN3 and YouTube.

As a reward for his triumph, Jarman walked away with a cash prize of $5,000 and a distinctive wrestling-style championship belt—a symbol of his hard-earned victory. However, the journey home posed an unexpected challenge for Jarman. Transporting the sizable belt back to Toronto was "a nightmare," and he humorously lamented that it didn't even fit into his suitcase.

"It's genuinely very nice, sort of a leather wrestling belt. It's quite large," he explained in an interview, adding, "Unfortunately, I haven't been able to really pack it."

Now, plans are underway to display the belt, possibly mounted on a wall at home, perhaps alongside his TV—though he hasn't finalized the details yet.

Jarman's passion for Excel goes beyond competition; he serves as the head of model development at a firm specializing in building and auditing spreadsheets for major infrastructure projects. He has been competing in spreadsheeting events since 2017, when he first moved to Canada from the UK. His journey in competitive spreadsheeting began with a third-place finish at the ModelOff event in 2017, which he then won in 2018.

Interestingly, he faced an unusual twist in the competition rules—previous champions were barred from re-entering the event, giving newcomers like Jarman a fair shot.

Reflecting on his latest victory, Jarman expressed his admiration for the intense competition in Vegas, stating, "It's much more of a satisfying victory" to compete against the best in the field.

Jarman's story highlights the growing recognition of spreadsheet mastery as a legitimate skill and an exciting competitive arena. With the Microsoft Excel World Championships gaining traction, who knows who will emerge next as the champion of this niche yet fascinating world?

Stay tuned—Excel enthusiasts everywhere will be watching closely!