Miss Universe 2023 contestants who’ve been crowned so far

David Tusing

The next Miss Universe pageant, to be held in El Salvador later this year, will be historic in many ways. At the annual beauty contest’s 72nd event, married women and mums will be allowed to participate for the first time.

Announced last year, the rule change is one of the biggest shake-ups in the history of the long-running competition, which previously only allowed single women, aged between 18 and 28, who have never been married or had children.

Pakistan is set to send a representative for the first time, after Dubai company Yugen Group announced it had earned the franchise rights, while a number of countries who’ve been absent from the contest are set to return, including Egypt, Bangladesh, Guyana, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Norway and Zimbabwe.

While a date has not been set for the next pageant, where reigning Miss Universe R’Bonney Gabriel from the US will crown her successor, a number of countries have selected their representatives including pageant powerhouses Philippines and Venezuela.

Here are all the Miss Universe 2023 contestants crowned so far …

Miss Universe Philippines: Michelle Dee

The actress from Makati, 28, beat 37 other candidates to win the crown in May. Dee won judges over at the competition by saying the best thing the Philippines can offer the world is its people, their warmth and hospitality.

In the competition’s final round at SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay, the top five candidates were all asked – in reference to the Philippines’s new tourism slogan “we give the world our best” – what the country’s greatest asset is.

“The Philippines is home to very beautiful natural resources, from the beaches to the mountains, but I believe that the best natural resources that the Philippines has is us Filipinos,” she said. “We are the true heart and soul of the Philippines with the way we are hospitable, with the warm smiles … and we are the reason why the world keeps coming back for more.”

Dee’s mother, actress and producer Melanie Marquez, is a former beauty queen, having won the Miss International crown in 1979. Dee’s cousin, actress and model Winwyn Marquez, is also a beauty queen, and was crowned Miss Reina Hispanoamericana – which celebrates Hispanic beauties – in 2017.

Dee also represented the Philippines at a global pageant when she won Miss World Philippines in 2019. She finished in the top 12 at the Miss World competition, held in London, where Jamaica’s Toni-Ann Singh was crowned winner that year.

A psychology graduate, Dee is only the second Filipina to win both the Miss World Philippines and Miss Universe Philippines crowns, after Catriona Gray.

Miss Universe Venezuela: Diana Silva

A model, actress and former cabin crew, Silva, 25, was crowned Miss Venezuela in November last year. It’s not her first time winning a major crown, though. She won Miss Earth Venezuela in 2018 and competed at the Miss Earth pageant held in the Philippines that year.

An early favourite, Silva, however, collapsed backstage and injured her cheekbone, after making it to the Top 8 causing her run at the competition to abruptly come to an end. Silva was given urgent medical attention and was later confirmed to be out of danger.

“I have always thought that word has power. When we speak and are able to put it out, we are creating that reality around us,” she said after being crowned Miss Venezuela 2022. “This November 16th, I fulfilled what I had decreed a few years ago. It wasn’t my performance that day that made me proud of the victory, but the effort, dedication and discipline that I had from day 1 to accomplish my goal.

Miss Universe Great Britain: Jessica Page

Miss Liverpool Jessica Page, 27, is a businesswoman who runs her own company, Oh My Cheesecake, which specialises in the dessert served up on sticks.

On Saturday, she beat 33 other contestants to the Miss Universe Great Britain title.

“My mission is simple – to inspire, educate and empower by providing the tips and tricks I wished I’d received as a first-time business owner,” she says on the Miss Universe Great Britain website.

Miss Universe Brazil: Maria Brechane

Crowned Miss Rio Grande do Sul 2023 in May, Brechane represented her state at the Miss Universe Brazil pageant, and went on to win the crown. At 19, the model, actress and journalism student is the youngest Miss Universe Brazil winner in history.

“It’s a shock, but it’s a lot of gratitudetoo, for all the people who believed in me… gratitude to God and gratitude to yourself, because it’s not an easy path. You need to have a lot of self-confidence and self-knowledge,” she said following her crowning.

Miss Universe Namibia: Jameela Uiras

A model and marketing executive, Uiras, 23, beat nine other contestants to the Miss Universe Namibia title. She also won the Miss Photogenic award at the contest.

Uiras hails from Windhoek, the capital of Namibia.

Miss Universe Netherlands: Rikkie Valerie Kolle

Crowned by none other than reigning Miss Universe R’Bonney Gabriel, Kolle, 22, is a model and actress who was the clear favourite to win the crown.

“This finalist shined throughout the show and has also made the greatest progress along the way. She has an iron-strong story with a clear mission. The jury is convinced that the organisation will enjoy working with this young woman,” the Miss Universe Netherlands organisation said after her crowning.

Miss Universe Spain: Athenea Perez

Perez’s road to beauty pageant glory has been a long-time coming. She first participated in the Miss World Spain competition when she was 17 but did not advance far in the competition. She said her journey is about determination and believing in yourself.

“At 17 years old, I introduced myself to Miss World Spain. I didn’t rank, but I knew I would achieve something big one day,” she on Instagram after her crowning on July 2. “Yesterday, 10 years later, I was crowned Miss Universe Spain 2023. Life makes it clear that dreams do come true. What is for you will come. That if you put your heart to something, it will come true.”

The marketing and advertising graduate is determined to make a splash at the Miss Universe pageant.

“Together we will do something great. Together we will go for the next crown,” she wrote.

Miss Universe Bahamas: Melissa Ingraham

This Long Island beauty queen is an environmental scientist and a passionate advocate for climate change. She beat nine other contestants to the crown in July, and will be the 19th Miss Bahamas to represent her country at the Miss Universe pageant.

Ahead of her crowning, Ingraham said she hoped to inspire young women in The Bahamas “to pursue their dreams fearlessly.”

She also said she will take her passion about climate change to the international stage.

“The focus of my platform is straightforward: Climate change is here, and we must act to halt its damaging effects. Through my journey in the pageant, I hope to illuminate the path to sustainable practices and the measures necessary for us to unite and protect our planet. After all, we have just one planet, one chance,” she said.

Miss Universe Bolivia: Maria Estefany Rivero Giesse

Architect and interior designer Giesse beat 20 other contestants to the Miss Universe Bolivia crown in July. The glitzy event in Santa Cruz de la Sierra also crowned Bolivia’s representatives for Miss International, Miss Grand International and Reina Hispanoamericana.

Giesse, 26, who was earlier crowned Miss Beni 2023, also goes by the name Estefany Rivero.

Miss Universe Ecuador: Delary Stoffers

Stoffers, 23, is a model and business student who represented the city of Guayaquil at the Miss Ecuador 2023 pageant.

“Everything makes sense today and I couldn’t be happier with the process, ups and downs needed to become the human I am now,” she said right before her crowning on July 1.

Miss Universe Malta: Ella Portelli

An interior designer and model, Portelli beat 24 other contestants to the Miss Universe Malta crown at an event held in her home city of St Julian’s in June.

Portelli, 24, was also crowned Miss Congeniality at the pageant, and thanked her “Miss Universe sisters” for choosing her.

“This experience and meeting you all has been amazing and I am so glad to have met you all and call you my friends,” she said. “Beyond honored and grateful to have been crowned Miss Universe Malta 2023.”

Miss Universe Trinidad and Tobago: Faith Gillezeau

Gillezeau beat 10 other contestants to the Miss Universe Trinidad and Tobago crown, and also walked away with two additional prizes: Miss Photogenic and Best in Swimsuit. The pharmacist, 25, says her advocacy will be educating children about the benefits of healthy eating.

“Chronic disease continues to be the No 1 cause of death in Trinidad and Tobago with three-fourths of these deaths occurring in persons under the age of 60. The future of our nation is not only in our children’s backpacks, but also in their lunch kits,” she wrote on Instagram.

Miss Universe Peru: Camila Escribens

Born in Lima, this American-Peruvian model, 24, won the crown after participating in the Miss Peru competition for the third time.

“Never give up, don’t stop fighting for your dreams,” she posted soon after winning the Miss Peru 2023 crown in May. “One of the greatest gifts I received tonight was popular vote. The fact that I had so many people accompanying me in my dream was wonderful. I want you to know that I am fully committed and I receive the title with maturity and responsibility.”

Miss Universe Mauritius: Nilmani Devi Hurlall

Crowned Miss Maurice 2022/2023 in June last year, Hurlall, 23, is currently pursuing a diploma in Hindustani vocals and is a part-time voice actress with dreams of becoming a radio presenter.

“The last thing I remember vividly before the crowning moment is being asked this question: ‘Is being self-sufficient the way forward in life?’ My answer was: ‘To be self-sufficient [is] to believe in yourself,” she shared on Instagram following her crowning.

Besides Miss Universe, Hurlall will also represent her country at the Miss Supranational pageant, to be held in July in Poland.

Miss Universe Kyrgyzstan: Diami Almazbekova

Almazbekova, 20, is a professional model who was crowned Miss Kyrgyzstan 2022 at a glitzy ceremony in Bishkek in October.

Based in Moscow, she will now represent her country at the Miss Universe competition in El Salvador.

Miss Universe Czech Republic: Vanesa Svedova

Only 19, Svedova is a student and model who was crowned Ceska Miss Essens 2022 in Prague in December. With the title, she will now represent her country at the Miss Universe pageant.

“I still can’t believe you all really chose me. Thank you to all for the votes, for the SMS, the jury, the audience, the girls, the production for the great care and organisation,” she posted on Instagram soon after her crowning. “Let’s see where this journey takes me. I’m super-excited for it anyway. I am the new Czech Miss Essens. It is an honour.”

Miss Universe Curacao: Kim Rossen

An athlete and occupational therapist, Rossen, 25, is a resident of Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Having won numerous national competitions as a runner, she brought the same competitive spirit to the Miss Universe Curacao pageant and clinched the crown, earning the right to represent her country at the global competition.

She says her favourite quote is: “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

Miss Universe Croatia: Andrea Erjavec

Crowned in May in Zagreb, Erjavec, 23 – an advocate for the mental and physical health of children – is currently pursuing a degree in education.

“I promise that I will do my best at the world pageant, and on this occasion I would like to tell all the girls to be persistent, believe in themselves and be aware of their potential because, really, if they want something, they can make it happen,” she posted on Instagram soon after winning the Miss Universe Croatia crown.

Miss Universe Belgium: Emilie Vansteenkiste

A dancer and occupational therapist who is fluent in both Dutch and French, Vansteenkiste, 21, beat 31 other contestants to the Miss Belgium crown in February.

The national contest faced delays after last year’s winner Chayenne van Aarle had a car accident a few days before the final competition. Then, a few hours before the show, authorities arrested an armed man near the venue.

“After an emotional week due to the accident with Chayenne, Miss Belgium 2022, and a horrifying afternoon where an attack has been foiled by the Belgian police, we are proud we could still make a beautiful show (with some delay) with a new Miss Belgium Emilie Vansteenkiste!,” the official Miss Belgium Instagram account posted following Vansteenkiste’s crowning.

Miss Universe Kosovo: Arbesa Rrahmani

The model and actress, 21, is from the city ofFerizaj in Kosovo. She was crowned alongside Miss Universe Albania, Endi Demneri, at a pageant in Tirana, the capital of Albania.

Kosovo has been represented at the Miss Universe pageant since 2008, since the country’s declaration as an independent state. Rrahmani succeeds last year’s title holder Roksana Ibrahimi.

Miss Universe Albania: Endi Demneri

Hailing from Tirana, the capital of Albania, the model, 24, dedicated her win to her late grandparents.

“I strongly believe that beauty isn’t just about having a beautiful image, but having a beautiful mind, a beautiful heart, and a beautiful soul,” she shared on Instagram, saying that she participated in the Miss Universe Albania competition because she “saw it as an opportunity to give voice to worthy causes – supporting girls and women”.

“The most beautiful diamonds are created from higher pressure,” she said.

Miss Universe Slovakia: Kinga Puhova

A model and fashion student, Puhova, 22, is fluent in Hungarian, French and English.

“I am a maximalist, that means I do everything at 100 per cent and more,” she says on the Miss Slovakia website. “I am also empathetic and experience very intensely everything that happens to other people. I am also creative, I have many ideas and I like to create new ones.”

Puhova is also passionate about sustainable fashion, which she regularly posts about.

“My generation and humanity in general is currently very materialistic and commercial orientated. I want to spread ideas, teach people and talk about sustainable fashion. I want to build my own brand with this philosophy. And of course, with the title of Miss Slovakia 2023, I would definitely be heard.”

Miss Universe Paraguay: Elicena Andrada

This model, 28, is an experienced pageant queen, having participated in a number of beauty contests over the years, including Miss Grand Paraguay 2021. On Sunday, Andrada was one of five winners to be crowned at the Reinas Del Paraguay, including the country’s representatives for the Miss World, Miss International and Miss Earth pageants.

Hours before her crowning, Andrada took to Instagram to call herself “one of the luckiest people in the world to live my dream”.

“This is a road I have not travelled alone, but with the best of company,” she shared. “Eternally grateful to everyone for the tremendous support and love.”

Miss Universe Cameroon: Ndoun Issie Marie Princesse

A management student, 22, who also goes by the name Princesse Issie, she beat 18 other contestants to the Miss Cameroon crown in November.

A passionate breast cancer advocate, she founded her own non-profit, Cameroon Women Action, in 2021, to help spread awareness campaigns, offer free mammograms and provide food donations to the families of patients.

“For me it’s a dream come true, I’ve always dreamt of being Miss Cameroon and I’ve always waited for the right moment to embark on the great adventure. Today I am very proud of myself and proud of my family,” she said following her crowning.

Courtesy: thenationalnews