By BEN NUCKOLS
Associated Press
OXON HILL, Md. (AP) - The dramatic final rounds of the Scripps National Spelling Bee are set to begin.
Forty-one spellers advanced to Thursday's finals out of a field of 516 - by far the largest in the 93-year history of the competition. Scripps started a wild-card program this year that created a path to nationals for spellers who didn't win their regional bees, and some of the finalists got to the bee that way.
The past 13 champions and 18 of the last 22 have been Indian-American, and that trend could easily continue. Most of the consensus favorites in this year's bee have Indian heritage.
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(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster). Melodie Loya, 13, from Bainbridge, N.Y., right, hugs Tara Singh, 13, from Louisville, Ky., left, after Tara received her medal to advance to the final round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, M...
(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster). Pronouncer Brian Sietsema, right, speaks during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018.
(AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster). Melodie Loya, 13, from Bainbridge, N.Y., right, hugs Tara Singh, 13, from Louisville, Ky., left, after Tara received her medal to advance to the final round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, M...
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen). Brody Dicks, 13, from Park City, Utah, spells "caudation" correctly during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018.
(AP Photo/Cliff Owen). Shiva Yeshlur, 13, from Rock Springs, Wyo., jumps into the air after correctly spelling "diastrophism" during the 3rd Round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Oxon Hill, Md., Wednesday, May 30, 2018.