Zi Lin Zhang, a stunning 23-year-old business administration graduate from the People’s Republic of China, bested 105 other global beauties to win the 57th annual Miss World contest. Zhang’s victory makes history in more ways than one. She is now the first international Grand Slam titleholder from her country, and more importantly, the first Asian woman NOT from India to capture the elusive Miss World title.
1st Runner-Up is Angola’s Micaela Reis, a Miss Universe 2007 semi-finalist who overcame the odds and outdid her previous placing, while 2nd Runner-Up is Mexico’s Carolina Moran Gordillo, whose elegance and quiet competitiveness placed her high in the Beach Beauty and Top Model events prior to the finals.
Rounding up the five finalists are Trinidad and Tobago’s Valene Maharaj and a surprise finish from Sweden’s Annie Oliv.It is interesting to note that although the Continental Queens of Beauty weren’t announced this year, the top five was still diversely represented by five different regions: Asia, Africa, Americas, Europe and the
Caribbean.
Originally, there was to be a Top 15, but an unexpected tie in the Beauty with a Purpose award added one-semi-finalist. Completing the Top 16 were: Dominican Republic’s Ada Aimee De La Cruz, Jamaica’s Yendi Phillipps, Malaysia’s Deborah Henry, United States’Abigail McCary, Puerto Rico’s Jennifer Guevara, Venezuela’s Claudia Paola Suarez, Austria’s Christine Reiler, Ghana’s Irene Dwomoh, and co-Beauty with a Purpose winners Ecuador’s Valeska Saab and Hong Kong’sKa Yi Cheung.
Now, on to my thoughts….
I can’t put this any more bluntly. I’m absolutely happy with the results this year. This marks the fourth time that I accurately predicted the pageant’s winner. Prior to this, I had also correctly picked Mexico’s Priscila Perales to win Miss International 2007, India’s Lara Dutta to win Miss Universe 2000 and Brazil’s Priscila Meirelles to win Miss Earth 2004. Now, with Zhang’s success, I now have one accurate prediction from each of the four major international pageants. Ah, my simple joys.
This year also marks a record high in my predictions/wish list since out of my 10 picks for additional semi-finalists, 9 of them made it in! The only one I didn’t peg was Sweden, who was in my alternates list anyway. As for the co-winners of the Beauty with a Purpose Award, I had my suspicions about Ecuador.
Hong Kong, on the other hand, was a complete surprise. Then again, her strong UNICEF ties can’t be ignored when it’s a social responsibility we’re talking about here.
It was indeed disappointing not to see early top favorite Dominican Republic crack the final 5. She was on top of almost every British bookmakers’ list. Although, it’s worthy to note that Miss World has a history of strong but over-hyped contestants finishing “only” as semi-finalists. It happened with Ukraine in 2001, with Philippines in 2005 and with India and Venezuela in 2006. I don’t the trend stopping anytime soon.
The shock of all shocks, however, would have to be the exclusion of Lithuania’s Jurgita Jurkute from the Top 16. Everyone was hoping that this Eastern European bombshell would finally bring forth her country’s semi-final breakthrough, especially when she placed in the Top 5 of the Beach Beauty contest. Alas, it didn’t happen. Why she didn’t make the cut could be anyone’s guess. Mine, would be that monstrosity of a gown, which she sported in finals night (right).
Still, these are the best results I’ve seen in a while. Even if I don’t necessarily agree with the order in which the rest of the semi-finalists placed.
True, Zhang may have pushed her home court advantage a step too far by mentioning in her final answer how she wants to be China’s “link” to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. But that’s exactly the point. She knew her victory would be timely for next year. It was her advantage and she knew how to play her cards well. It was a well-deserved victory, indeed. So congratulations Zi Lin Zhang for finally opening doors for the Orient!
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see you in the forums!