Miss Grand Int´l 2020: A final review, before the final event
Crown Alert! Guatemala, Peru, Argentina, Thailand, Puerto Rico, Brazil, USA, Philippines, Czech Republic and Indonesia. One of these 10 women should be the next Miss Grand International (photos: GB / Henrique Fontes)
written by @hffontes
After a never-thought-before experience in Thailand for 4 weeks, including two weeks of quarantine and two very intense weeks of activities, it´s time for us to go on a limb and convey to you how we see the competition, including its favorites, possibilities, and dark horses. Honest and to the point, this is our final review.
First group: The “Dark Horses”
Being a dark horse in a competition is not something necessarily bad. In a way, it removes the pressure from your shoulders and make you want to pull that extraordinary surprise.
Germany, Arlinda Prenaj, Kosovo, Frontina Gashi, Albania, Felicia Brunzell, and Sweden, Felicia Brunzell, have such beautiful faces and photograph so well. With more experience and preparation, we can see them doing so well in future pageants. Crimea, Sofia Kim, Korea, Hyunyoung Lee, Nepal, Ambika Joshi Rana, and Scotland, Helen Maher, are adorable, smart, inspiring young women. Scotland leaves a legacy with her bravery and incredible life story. She marked this pageant´s edition and received tremendous support from fans all around the world. It was beautiful seeing it!
Belarus, Polli Cannabis, Bulgaria, Viktoria Lazarova, France, Marine Comby, and Nicaragua, Teresa Pérez Moreno, are all very poised and certainly gave their best to well represent their countries. Cuba, Jennifer Sánchez Aguilar, has tremendous runway skills, while Costa Rica, Gabriella Jara, has one of the most beautiful faces in the competition. If she were in her best physical shape, Jara could certainly be among the favorites. Laos, Patthana Khidaphone, was always so well-dressed, but when it came to her performance in the preliminary event, we expected more. Finland, Liina Malinen, had some good moments in the competition.
Portugal, Sara Duque, Uruguay, Jimena Martino, Italy, Filomena Venuso, and Wales, Kathryn Fanshawe, are so bright and full of life! In any past edition, they could have easily placed among the semi-finalists, but this year they might fall a bit short in such competitive group. Egypt, Virginia Hany, and Iran, Aida Mirahmadi, have strong stage presence. Just to be competing in a beauty pageant is a victory for Iran. We are glad Aida has been able to join this competition, showing the strength of Iranian women to the world.
We see so much potential in China, Fiona Tao, Jamaica, Monique Thomas, Mauritius, Tania Rene, and Sri Lanka, Pratibha Sambodhi, but they lacked confidence this time around. The potential is there and we hope to see them back in other contests taking center stage, just like we know they are capable of.
Second group: The strong possibilities
This is how tough this year is: 20 candidates, 4 spots! Who, out of these 20 amazing competitors, will be picked by the judges to enter, the least to say, the Top 20?
Albina Shaykhlislamova of Bashkortostan has arrived a week late but performed so well and looks like a supermodel! Another late arrival, India, Simran Sharma, has a face to die for and is very performative. Natalia Manrique of Colombia “woke up” at the preliminaries, having delivered an Alicia Machado (Miss Universe 1996) caliber performance in swimsuit! Ecuador, Sonia Luna, is so regal, that though she could have performed better on stage, it is hard to imagine a Top 20 list without her in it. Chile, Valentina Benavente, and Poland, Milena Sadowska, have killer bodies, are smart and pleasant to be around, always in a good mood.
Then we have Venezuela, Eliana Roa, this tall, impressive beauty, with no previous pageant experience and little time to prepare. Nevertheless, her sash says VENEZUELA, something that could represent an advantage. South Africa, Anronet Ann Roelotsz, has done everything with perfection. Her stage presence and energy are contagious! Russia, Guzel Musina, looks like a doll and did well in the preliminaries. There´s a fair chance we will see her in the Top 20. Malaysia, Jasebel Robert, has a great figure and is very smart, we feel she can also pull it. Then there´s gorgeous Nigeria, Chikaodili Nna-Udosen, who showed her potential on the preliminary competition night.
Myanmar, Han Lay, is not only beautiful. She hasn´t been afraid to protest against the horrible coup which recently happened in her country. We only wish she can return home safely, regardless of what will happen tonight. Do not underestimate Japan, Ruri Saji! She is smart, elegant, had the most creative national costume, and has done everything right from the beginning! Spain, Iris Miguelez, has one of the most stunning faces in the competition, she´s hard to miss.
El Salvador, Luciana Martinez Cienfuegos: we are almost sure that she will make it! Her gown choice in the preliminary might not have been the best for such a fresh and young beauty, but yet, she walks with so much grace and confidence, and looks so beautiful, resembling Miss Universe 2003, Amelia Vega, that we have a feeling she might even “steal” a Top 10 spot! Watch out for her.
And how about Paraguay, Daisy Lezcano? She has the face, the body, the personality. For some reason, perhaps because the group is so strong, Daisy hasn´t been featured in so many lists of favorites. But we have faith she could and deserves to do well.
Then there´s a group of delightful, clever, and well-prepared candidates we choose to call the Fantastic 4: Canada, Sara Michelle Winter, England, Stephanie Wyatt, Ireland, Tirna Slevin, and the Netherlands, Susan Lips. They are sentimental favorites, women modern pageants should show appreciation for (we do, for sure!).
Third group: the “shoo-ins”
Not seeing even one of these women in the Top 20, would be a huge shock! All of them could easily advance to the Top 10 as well, or even further.
Well, let´s start with whom we know for sure will be there: Chily Liv of Cambodia, who won a popular voting poll and made history by being the first woman from Cambodia to advance in any Grand Slam beauty pageant.
Dominican Republic, Lady Leon, is a hurricane on stage! She loves to perform and does it well. In addition, she´s beautiful and has a great personality. Kenya, Irene Ng’endo, was chosen by GB as the best performance in swimsuit from last Saturday´s competition. She came back from having Covid to being a front-runner in this year´s pageant! Then there´s the always dangerous Mexico, Angela Leon Yuriar, who´s beautiful and is prepared to score high tonight. Vietnam, Nguyen Lê Ngoc Thao, is confident, has a gorgeous face, and is always ready to take the stage by storm!
Finally, let´s talk about Panama, Angie Keith. She tried something very daring and unique in the preliminary evening gown competition, instead of “playing safe” (which she could since she had been doing so well). The gown competition is the perfect moment to show elegance and poise, qualities we know Angie possesses. We will find out how the judges perceived her daring move tonight!
Fouth group: CROWN ALERT!!!!!
Ten women, one crown!
These are the young women who appear in most lists of favorites and who are seen by pageant observers as the major front-runners for the crown. They all got the famous “crown alert” from GB and one of them should be the next Miss Grand International.
We start by talking about Guatemala, Ivana Batchelor. Ivana hasn´t caused the “splash” fans from around the globe expected from her up to now. However, we have a feeling that she could be saving her best for last. She´s super gorgeous, elegant, her gown choice in the preliminary was spot-on, and her English is fluent. In addition, she has a remarkable CV! Yes, she could be the next Miss Grand International.
Peru, Maricielo Gamarra, has a perfect figure, a gorgeous face, and a great team which has prepared her to fly high, as we expect her to do tonight.
Argentina, Mariana Varela, has improved so much from her participation in Miss Universe! She looks fresher and much more confident. We love her preliminary gown choice and believe she will be in the Top 10. Going any further will depend on her peace speech. Eye on Argentina!
Patcharaporn “Nam” Chantarapadit, Miss Grand Thailand, has been the perfect host candidate! We love her personality and versatility! She has a great figure, lots of stage presence, and is very spontaneous and funny. And of course, she will get lots of support from the home crowd tonight!
Perhaps Fabiola Valentin of Puerto Rico is the most elegant candidate in this year´s pageant! She´s always so perfect on stage! And how about that bright smile and delightful personality? Yes, Puerto Rico is fighting for its second MGI crown tonight!
Brazil´s Lala Guedes has been very consistent since the beginning of the competition, being very popular among Thai fans and even among the other contestants. She has a killer body and so much presence and charisma, that many believe Brazil could finally win its 5th Grand Slam title after long 50 years!
The Philippines is so well represented by the majestic Samantha Bernardo. She has charmed us all with her elegant signature walk, posture, and positive attitude. Will the Philippines complete the “Grand Slam ring”, by conquering the only title it is still missing? So far only Puerto Rico has done it…
Watch out for Miss Grand USA, Abena Appiah! She´s been growing in the competition by the minute, and many believe she could be the first black woman to be crowned Miss Grand International. Abena is so bright that she has even learned how to speak Thai to compete here! Superb.
Is it time for Europe in Miss Grand International? Denisa Spergerová of the Czech Republic is the most stunning beauty competing for the crown. She looks like true royalty and is absolutely pleasant, friendly, smart, and humble. When asked if she finds that it was unfair not having been included in the Top 40 of Miss World 2019, she responds that she was very young and perhaps not mature enough. But now she´s ready, she is shinning and it would be amazing to see the golden crown on her head!
Indonesia, has the magical name of a winner: Aurra Kharishma. “The one to beat” in GB´s international jury´s collective opinion, Aurra presented the most amazing evening gown in the preliminary competition and delivered it so well! She has the beauty, the grace, the charm, and of course, the aura and the charisma to take it all! Her millions of fans back home have the best reasons to be proud and to believe in her triumph tonight.
What do we really think? With such remarkable contestants, it will depend on how they do in their peace speech and answering the final question. Communication skills and the choice of the right words will play a crucial role in the competition and define this year´s winner.
We end this by congratulating this extraordinary group! It´s been a pleasure spending time and watching you. These are 63 strong, beautiful, and determined young women who have made their countries proud, regardless of what will happen tonight. We wish them all much success and good things in the future.
Miss Grand International 2020 will be elected this Saturday, at 7 PM, Thailand time, live on Grand TV.
See exclusive photos from the preliminary competition at @officialglobalbeauties.