NATIONAL HARBOR, Md – The Scripps National Spelling Bee finals finished with two champions Thursday night for the first time since 1962. See some scenes from the bee here.
Scences of the Scripps National Spelling Bee
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The Scripps National Spelling Bee semifinal rounds began at 10 a.m. Thursday with only 46 of 281 spellers remaining. The semifinal and final rounds were broadcast live on ESPN2. (Anna Bisaro/MNS)
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Timothy Lau, 14, of Los Angeles, California, was the first speller in the semifinal round that began Thursday morning. He spelled messuage correctly after the lights had turned red and the clock ticked loudly to notify him he was running out of time. (Anna Bisaro/MNS)
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The Scripps National Spelling Bee Championship Trophy remained on-stage throughout the competition. Mary Polking (right) of Charlotte, North Carolina, sat anxiously awaiting her first turn to spell in the opening rounds Wednesday. (Anna Bisaro/MNS)
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Harry Harmon, 12, exited the stage Thursday morning after he misspelled demersal. As a seventh grader, he has another year of eligibility in the bee. (Anna Bisaro/MNS)
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Many of the spellers said Bee Week was a great time to meet new friends. The competitors were supportive and friendly throughout the rounds. (Anna Bisaro/MNS)
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After tying for 7th place last year, Syamantak Payra misspelled circumforaneous and was eliminated in the semifinal rounds Thursday morning. As an eighth grader he cannot return to the bee next year. (Anna Bisaro/MNS)
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Muriel Cotman, 13, wore a bee necklace at the competition for good luck. Here, she is comforted by her mom after misspelling ensilage in the semifinals Thursday. (Anna Bisaro/MNS)
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Alia Abiad, 14, of Chicago was the last female competitor eliminated from the bee. She misspelled irbis in round 11. (Anna Bisaro/MNS)
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A crowd favorite for his ecstatic celebrations, Jacob Williams shouted "I know it!" too soon in round 10 Thursday evening. Jacob began kabaragoya with a c instead of a k and shouted "What!" and stared in disbelief when the bell rang indicating he had spelled the word incorrectly. (Anna Bisaro/MNS)
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"Oh whatever!" Ansun Sujoe said as he stumbled through the pronunciation of his final word, feuilleton. He needed to spell that word correctly to be co-champion of the bee - and he did. (Anna Bisaro/MNS)
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For the first time since 1962, the judges exhausted the list of championship words and crowned two champions in the Scripps National Spelling Bee Thursday night: Ansun Sujoe (left) of Fort Worth, Texas and Sriram Hathwar of Corning, New York. This was Hathwars fifth appearance in the national bee. (Anna Bisaro/MNS)