Gamefaces: National Spelling Bee Spotlight

READ MORE: Event Betting, National Spelling Bee

10 minutes until the big event, 51 contestants left, and a live broadcast on ESPN. Do you know the pony you’re riding today?

Nidharshan S. Anandasivam, Speller No. 239

Sponsor:
Valley Freedom Newspapers, Harlingen, Texas

Age:
12, seventh grade

School:
Saint Joseph Academy, Brownsville, Texas

Bio:
Nidharshan’s favorite subjects in school are history and math. His after-school activities include piano lessons, Kumon classes, and basketball and football practice and tournaments. Nidharshan participated in the 2003 and 2004 national finals, tying for 47th place in 2004.

Oddjack Intangibles: Nidharshan’s not a lover—he’s a fighter. And a deft one. He can attack the words from all angles and doesn’t rattle easily. In fact, at 2004’s competition one of the parents of another competitor attempted to throw him off by unleashing a live, rabid mongoose into his dressing room. Nidharshan picked up the frothing beast, broke its neck, and ate it. He went on to the next round without a problem.

Odds: 7-2

51 Contestants Left in Spelling Bee [Fox News]
Year of the Bee [ABC News]
Scrrips National Spelling Bee [Spellingbee.com]

Previous: Vaibhav S. Vavilala, Speller No. 81 [Oddjack]
Aravind Arun, Speller No. 219 [Oddjack]
Joseph F. Sheperd, Speller No. 59 [Oddjack]
Dheena Marie Ebuen Elayda, No. 60 [Oddjack]
Edwin Ho, No. 26 [Oddjack]