I applaud the fact that there are so many accomplished girls this year and ideally I'm hoping this would, in turn, inspire young women to be successful in their fields. But let's get real, the majority of fans don't care much about personal accomplishments of these ladies or the number languages they can speak, it's always been about BEAUTY. Without it, a girl's accomplishment is blurred in the background -a sad fact but it's the reality in beauty pageants.
Speaking of beauty and stage presence, coming up with a top 20 this year is hard. If you judge the candidates based on these criteria alone, there's a lot to choose from. What fans don't get to see is how these ladies handle closed-door interviews and if they did well, it will eventually help them get into the semis. It has always been my belief that beauty and substance secures a candidate a spot in the top 20.
Now here is my unbiased assessment of my Miss Universe Top 20 candidates of 2019.
1.) Miss Universe 2019: Colombia
Swimsuit score: 9.44
Gown score: 9.49
Overall score: 18.93
Gabriela is the one to beat this year. With her towering height and impressive stage presentation, it will be a herculean task to eclipse this Colombian beauty. The country has won 7 first runners-up titles in the past and I think it is high time for them to claim their next Miss Universe crown. Gabriela is consistent throughout the competition and she would make a great Miss Universe, in my own opinion.
2.)1st runner-up: Mexico
Swimsuit score: 9.22
Gown score: 9.52
Overall score: 18.74
Coming in second is another beaut deserving of applause and recognition. Sofia Aragon looked expensive and divine in her gown presentation and I just couldn't take my eyes off her. She was impressive in both the swimsuit and gown segments and she interviews well too. She is an advocate for mental health awareness and suicide prevention, which I think is a relevant advocacy. It would be a delight to see two Latinas - Gabriela and Sofia, holding hands in the final two. Buena suerte, Miss Mexico!
3. ) 2nd runner-up: USA
Swimsuit score: 9.34
Gown score: 9.29
Overall score: 18.63
Cheslie may have the home town advantage working for her, but to be honest, she doesn't need it because her preliminary performance alone is enough to secure her spot in the top 20. If Miss USA manages to squeeze herself in the top 3, we all know she will deliver a witty answer to any social issues thrown at her and USA might upset the odds for my top 2 Latinas.
4.) 3rd runner-up: Puerto Rico
Swimsuit score: 9.25
Gown score: 9.30
Overall score: 18.55
Madison speaks English well and she exudes confidence and charisma in everything she does. She is clearly one of the candidates who stood out in the preliminaries. She also has genuineness in her that makes her relatable and likable. I won't be surprised if she makes it all the way because this girl came prepared and I hope she delivers!
5.) 4th runner-up: South Africa
Swimsuit score: 9.18
Gown score: 9.27
Overall score: 18.45
Zozibini's swimsuit presentation was okayish. What blew my mind was her gown presentation, which I think was one of the best that night. She looks unique, regal and authentic.
6.) Brazil
Swimsuit score: 9.25
Gown score: 9.15
Overall score: 18.40
Julia, for me, is the face of Miss Universe. She is one of the few candidates who is facially stunning and who actually look like a winner. I am hoping, however, that she has a different gown for the final night. All the best to you girl!
7.) Peru
Swimsuit score: 9.22
Gown score: 9.01
Overall score: 18.23
I can only imagine the pressure and intimidation coming on stage before a Miss Philippines in any beauty pageants. I think Kelin did everything she could to be memorable during the preliminaries and I hope her performance was enough for her to advance in the top 20. This lass is a businesswoman and an advocate for violence against women in her native country. Good luck Kelin!
8.) Tanzania
Swimsuit score: 9.35
Gown score: 8.88
Overall score: 18.23
Shubila has a great stage presence as evident in her preliminary performances and coming on stage before Miss Thailand did not budge her confidence at all. The last time Tanzania placed was in 2007, and this towering Environmental Management Engineer hopes to win her country's first Miss Universe crown!
9.) Thailand
Swimsuit score: 9.09
Gown score: 9.25
Overall score: 18.22
Some would say that this is Thailand's golden year in pageantry due to the number of crowns they secured this year. Is Paweensuda destined to clinch the title of Miss Universe 2019? My honest answer is maybe or maybe not. She will, however, won't be denied a spot in the top 20. She gave one of the best gown presentations in the preliminaries and is one of the most talked-about candidates this year. Her team is pushing for a win and I am sure they have a stunning gown prepared for Paweensuda come finals night. All the best to you Paween!
10.) Albania
I understand that being called first in a competition may have its disadvantages, but Cindy Marina is hard to ignore. This volleyball athlete with a swan-like neck is stunning on stage and walks and talks with confidence. I am hoping she can still polish her walk for evening gown because it appeared a bit sloppy. All the best to you Cindy! I hope you will make it!
Swimsuit score: 9.30
Gown score: 8.91
Overall score: 18.21
11) Chile
Swimsuit score: 9.19
Gown score:8.99
Overall score: 18.18
I really wanted to give Chile high scores in her preliminaries, believe me, I do. It's just her overall performance wasn't outstanding as I have hoped. She registers well in photos and not so much in motion.
12) Philippines
Swimsuit score: 9.31
Gown score: 8.86
Overall score: 18.17
Filipinos around the world are clenching their teeth and butt cracks hoping for a back to back win in Miss Universe. The woman handling that overwhelming pressure is Gazini Ganados - who despite unceasing criticism and ridicule have managed to give a good preliminary performance and have represented her country very well. The Philippines have the longest streak in the semis and have placed nine years in a row - can Gazini continue the streak? Absolutely! Can she pull off a back to back Miss Universe victory for her country? That's a question that is up to the judges to decide.
13) Mauritius
Swimsuit score: 8.87
Gown score: 9.29
Overall score: 18.16
14) Slovak Republic
Swimsuit score: 9.01
Gown score: 9.12
Overall score: 18.13
15)Canada
Swimsuit score: 9.00
Gown score: 9.12
Overall score: 18.12
16) Vietnam
Swimsuit score: 8.70
Gown score: 9.33
Overall score: 18.03
17) Bolivia
Swimsuit score: 9.10
Gown score: 8.99
Overall score: 18.01
18) Laos
Swimsuit score: 8.77
Gown score: 9.19
Overall score: 17.96
19) Aruba
Danna has this quiet confidence that I like about her. She has a nice body and she looked amazing in both gown and swimsuit segments. I can only hope that she improves her presentation when she's on stage so she becomes memorable.
Swimsuit score: 8.89
Gown score: 9.02
Overall score: 17.91
20) India & Iceland
Swimsuit score: 8.92
Gown score: 8.99
Overall score: 17.91
Now I know, a lot of my colleagues placed India higher on their lists, but frankly, I was just not sold. Her overall styling and presentation seemed dated and failed to impress me overall. I do wish her well in the competition. Miss Iceland, I think, redeemed herself during the gown competition. She just needs to work on her catwalk and overall presentation to stand out more.
Thank you for reading!