Jasmin Selberg is Miss International 2022. | Screenshot from Miss International livestream
TOKYO, Japan — The 60th edition of the Miss International pageant finally pushed through three years after the global tilt’s 59th installment was held, and crowned a new queen, Jasmin Selberg from Germany.
Selberg bested 65 other aspirants in ceremonies held at the Tokyo Dome City Hall in Tokyo, Japan, and inherited the title from Sireethorn Leearamwat, the first winner from Thailand and the longest-reigning Miss International winner. The global tilt took a break in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 22-year old new queen also got to wear the new Miss International crown, designed and created by Vietnamese jeweler Long Beach Pearl, to usher in a new era for one of the most enduring global pageants in the world.
Aside from launching a new crown, the Miss International pageant also introduced a new thrust, which is to support the sustainable development goals (SDGs) endorsed by the United Nations (UN). As such, this year’s delegates and winners are dubbed “Beauties for SDGs.”
The 2022 Miss International pageant also proclaimed four women to complete Selberg’s court — first runner-up Stephany Amado from Cabo Verde; second runner-up Tatiana Calmell from Peru; third runner-up Natalia Lopez Cardona from Colombia; and, fourth runner-up Celinee Santos Frias from Dominican Republic.
The candidates also voted five women as their Continental Queens: Japan (for Asia), Cabo Verde (Africa), Finland (Europe), New Zealand (Oceania), and United States (America).
Meanwhile, special awards were given to the following: Uzbekistan (Best in National Costume), Peru (Best in Evening Gown), United Kingdom (Best in Swimsuit), and Ecuador (Miss Photogenic).
Binibining Pilipinas Hannah Arnold finished in the Top 15.
Arnold is an Australian-Filipino forensic scientist and model from Masbate. She first joined the Bb. Pilipinas pageant in 2019 and finished in the semifinals. She enlisted for the national contest anew in 2020, but the organizers opted to postpone it because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The national pageant resumed in 2021, and Arnold captured the Bb. Pilipinas International title. But she had still not competed in the Miss International pageant when she relinquished her national crown to Nicole Borromeo.
The Bb. Pilipinas Charities Inc. said Borromeo will be sent to 61st Miss International pageant next year.
From among the global competitions currently running, the Philippines found its greatest success in the Miss International pageant.
Gemma Cruz became the first Filipino woman to capture a crown from any international pageant when she was proclaimed Miss International in 1964. She was followed by Aurora Pijuan in 1970, and Melanie Marquez in 1979.
It took 26 long years before another Filipino woman brought home the Miss International crown, when Precious Lara Quigaman recorded the Philippines’ fourth victory in 2005. She was then followed by Bea Rose Santiago in 2013, and Kylie Verzosa in 2016.
First time in three years
The event marked the fist time since 2019 that the Miss International pageant was held at the Tokyo Dome City Hall, which welcomed delegates for the global tilt’s 60th edition.
The event hall in Tokyo, Japan, was the venue of the 59th Miss International pageant held in 2019. No competition was staged in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But before the global health crisis ground the world to a halt, Miss International organizer International Cultural Association (ICA) had already been planning to mount a grand competition in Yokohama, south of Tokyo.
Now, that the ICA has decided to keep the competition in the Japanese capital, Tokyo Dome City Hall has welcomed the international pageant anew, along with all of the 66 delegates competing this year.
Arnold first joined the national pageant in 2019, and finished in the semifinals. She returned in 2020, but the Bb. Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI) decided to postpone the contest that year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The national competition resumed in 2021, and Arnold captured the Bb. Pilipinas International title. But because the Miss International pageant extended its “pandemic pause” for another year, she already relinquished her national title to Nicole Borromeo without seeing action abroad.
Borromeo will represent the Philippines in the 61st Miss International pageant next year, BPCI said.
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