A new Miss Universe has been crowned for 2018. - 24 years-old Miss Philippines, Catriona Gray, has been crowned Miss Universe for 2018 on Monday, at the 67th Miss Universe pageant in Bangkok. She beats out 93 contestants from other countries, including Miss South Africa Tamaryn Green, who was the runner-up, and second runner-up Miss Venezuela Sthefany Gutierrez
The 24-year-old Philippine-Australian has become the fourth Philippine to bring home the big title. Miss USA 'Sarah Rose Summers' made it just short of the finals. Summers had stirred up controversy after posting a video that featured her mocking Miss Vietnam H’Hen Nie for not speaking English. Miss Spain Angela Ponce, the first trans contestant in the pageant’s history, did not make the competition’s Top 20. While Thailand's own Sophida Kanchanarin made it to the final 10, to huge cheers from the home crowd, but did not progress further.
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| Catriona Gray been crowned Miss Universe 2018 |
The 24-year-old Philippine-Australian model’s gown at the Bangkok contest was inspired by the Mount Mayon volcano, but there was more to the dress like Gray explained in a Facebook post that when she was 13 years old, her mother said she’d dreamt the pageant queen had won the Miss Universe pageant in a red dress.
"When I was 13 years old, my mother told me, 'I had a dream that you were in Miss Universe, and you won in a red dress,'" Gray told reporters after her coronation.
"At that time I thought nothing of it, and today my mother’s dream came true,"
Gray wrote in a post following her win.
"Philippines 🇵🇠what an amazing honor it has been to carry your name across my chest and to embody you in all aspects. I may now carry the sash of Miss Universe, but I’ll forever be your Miss Philippines." Gray posted on facebook.
Gray grew up in Australia as a singer and model who earned a degree in music theory from Boston’s Berklee School of Music. Her win earned praise from phillipinos across communities, as well as the controversial president of the Philippines himself, Rodrigo Duterte.
"Ms. Gray truly made the entire Philippines proud when she sashayed on the global stage and showcased the genuine qualities defining a Filipina beauty: confidence, grace, intelligence and strength in the face of tough challenges,"
Duterte said in a statement.
"In her success, Miss Philippines has shown to the world that women in our country have the ability to turn dreams into reality through passion, diligence, determination and hard work."
