WASHINGTON -- Thirteen-year-old Anamika Veeramani, of North Royalton, advanced to today's (Thursday's) semifinal in the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

She was the only one of six spellers from northern Ohio to advance.

Anamika correctly spelled both words in Wednesday's oral rounds- "delegate" and "alcazar" - and scored high enough on a written test taken Tuesday to win her spot in the semifinal.

Anamika is a seventh-grader at Incarnate Wood Academy who hopes to one day attend Harvard Medical School and become a cardiovascular surgeon.

Besides spelling, she studies the violin, Indian classical music, dance and golf.

This year's bee, at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Washington, involved a record number of spellers - 293. But only 41 advanced to Thursday's semifinal.

Those not advancing include Alex Csorba, an eighth grader at Seton Catholic School in Hudson; Tony Incorvati, a sixth grader at Canton Country Day School; Thomas Camp, an eighth grader at Sheffield Middle School; Sengrithey Pich, an eighth grader at Visintainer Middle School in Brunswick; and Carly Grace Nelson, a seventh grader at Wickliffe Middle School.

The bee's semifinals will air live on ESPN from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, and the finals will air live on ABC from 8 to 10 p.m. the same day.

The winner will receive $30,000 in cash, a $5,000 scholarship, a $2,500 savings bond and other prizes.

By MALIA RULON
Gannett Washington Bureau