MANILA, Philippines — Anticipation is growing as the 73rd edition of the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico draws near.
The Philippines’ representative Chelsea Manalo, the country’s first Filipino-Black American delegate, is one of nearly 130 beauty queens hoping to succeed reigning Miss Universe Sheynnis Palacios from Nicaragua.
Chelsea will hope to improve on her predecessor Michelle Dee’s Top 10 finish last year, hoping to bring home the Philippines’ fifth Miss Universe crown.
She is not the only Filipino competing. There are also three other half-Pinay contestants: New Zealand’s Victoria Velasquez Vincent, Great Britain’s Christina Dela Cruz Chalk, and Bahrain’s Shereen Ahmed.
All the delegates are already in Mexico preparing for the preliminary competition happening on November 14 (the 15th in the Philippines). The main competition and coronation is on November 16 (the 17th in the Philippines).
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Meet the Miss Universe 2024 candidates:
Albania – Franceska Rustem (19 years old)
Angola – Nelma Ferreira (26)
Argentina – Magali Benejam (29)
Armenia – Emma Avanesyan (32)
The country is returning to Miss Universe after missing out on last year’s edition.
Aruba – Anouk Eman (32)
Australia – Zoe Creed (23)
Bahamas – Selvinique Wright (32)
Bahrain – Shereen Ahmed (30)
One of the four Filipinos competing at Miss Universe this year.
Bangladesh – Aniqa Alam (32)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2018.
Belarus – Eleanora Kachalovskaya (24)*
Belgium – Kenza Ameloot (22)
Belize – Halima Hoy (30)
The country is returning to Miss Universe after missing out on last year’s edition.
Bolivia – Juliana Barrientos (27)
Bonaire – Ruby Pouchet (29)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1999.
Botswana – Thanolo Keutwile (28)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2013.
Brazil – Luana Cavalcante (25)
British Virgin Islands – Deyounce Lowenfield (20)
Bulgaria – Elena Vian (38)
Cambodia – Davin Prasath (33)
Cameroon – Noura Njikam (25)
Canada – Ashley Callingbull (35)
Cayman Islands – Raegan Rutty (22)
Chile – Emilia Dides (25)
China – Jia Qi (26)
The country is returning to Miss Universe after missing out on last year’s edition.
Colombia – Daniela Toloza (30)
Costa Rica – Elena Hidalgo (32)
Cote d’Ivoire – Marie-Emmanuelle Diamala (20)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1986.
Croatia – Zrinka Coric (23)
Cuba – Marianela Ancheta (31)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1967.
Curacao – Kimberly de Boer (19)
Cyprus – Katerina Dimitriou (29)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2012.
Czech Republic – Marie Danci (28)
Democratic Republic of Congo (Congo) – Ilda Amani (26)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1986 when it competed as Zaire.
Denmark – Victoria Kjær Theilvig (21)
Victoria visited Mexico City weeks before the official arrival dates, prompting netizens to assume that she’s the chosen one.
Dominican Republic – Celinee Santos (24)
Ecuador – Mara Topic (30)
Egypt – Logina Salah (34)
Logina suffers from Vitiligo (Psoriasis) but her skin condition will not hinder her chances of placing in the competition.
El Salvador – Florence Garcia (26)
Equatorial Guinea – Diana Angono Mouhafo (25)
Eritrea – Snit Tewoldemedhin (25)*
Estonia – Valeria Vasilieva (22)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2013.
Fiji – Manshika Prasad (24)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1981.
Finland – Matilda Wirtavuori (24)
France – Indira Ampiot (20)
Presenting the most glamorous national finals annually, the France’s 2024 winner is among those to watch out for.
Germany – Pia Theissen (26)
Gibraltar – Shyanne McIntosh (25)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1990.
Great Britain – Christina Dela Cruz Chalk (31)
One of the four Filipinos competing at Miss Universe this year.
Greece – Christianna Katsieri (22)
Guadeloupe – Coraly Desplan (20)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1984.
Guatemala – Ana Gabriela Villanueva (22)
Guinea – Saran Bah (29)*
Guyana – Ariana Blaize (26)
Honduras – Stephanie Cam (32)
Hong Kong – Joanne Rhodes (24)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2000.
Hungary – Nora Kenez (28)
Iceland – Sóldís Vala Ívarsdóttir (18)
At 18 years old, Sóldís is one of the youngest contestants at this year’s Miss Universe alongside Russia’s Valentina Alekseeva.
India – Rhea Singha (19)
Indonesia – Clara Shafira Krebs (22)
Iran (Persia) – Ava Vahneshan (26)*
Ireland – Sofia Labus (21)
Israel – Ofir Korsia (23)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2021.
Italy – Glelany Cavalcante (30)
Jamaica – Rachel Silvera (25)
Japan – Kaya Chakrabortty (23)
Kazakhstan – Madina Almukhanova (24)
Kenya – Irene Ng’endo (26)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2021.
Kosovo – Edona Bajrami (37)
Kyrgyzstan – Maya Turdalieva (25)
The country is returning to Miss Universe after missing out on last year’s edition.
Laos – Phiranya Thipphomvong (28)
Latvia – Maria Vicinska (26)
Lebanon – Nada Koussa (26)
Macau – Cassandra Chiu (23)*
Malaysia – Sandra Lim (23)
Maldives – Mariyam Shaina (21)*
Malta – Beatrice Njoya (40)
A mother of three childrean, Beatrice will enter Miss Universe 2024 as the oldest competing delegate in the pageant’s history.
Martinique – Catherine Edouard (25)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1984.
Mauritius – Tania Rene (27)
Mexico – Maria Fernanda Beltran (24)
They’re not only the host, they also want to win the crown like what Denise Quiñones did in 2001 – with Puerto Rico winning the home court.
Moldova – Djulieta Calalb (20)*
Mongolia – Nominzul Zandangiin (19)
Montenegro – Rumina Ivezaj (20)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2015.
Myanmar – Thet San Andersen (27)
Namibia – Prisca Anyolo (24)
Nepal – Sampada Ghimire (23)
Netherlands – Faith Landman (28)
New Zealand – Victoria Velasquez Vincent (29)
One of the four Filipinos competing at Miss Universe this year. New Zealand is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2019.
Nicaragua – Geyssell Garcia (29)
Nigeria – Chidimma Adetshina (23)
North Macedonia – Tea Gjorgievska (21)*
Norway – Lilly Sødal (21)
Pakistan – Noor Xarmina (29)
Paraguay – Naomi Mendez (32)
Peru – Tatiana Calmell (30)
Her compatriots are of the belief that Janick Maceta was robbed of the crown in 2020 (which went to Mexico’s Andrea Meza). Filipinos are also keeping an eye on Tatiana because her roommate is the Philippines’ very own Chelsea Manalo.
Philippines – Chelsea Manalo (25)
The first Filipino contestant with Afro-American lineage, a highlight in Philippine pageant history. Known for her sunny disposition, the beauteous Bulakeña is setting her sights on the country’s fifth crown after Gloria Diaz, Margie Moran, Pia Wurtzbach and Catriona Gray.
Poland – Kasandra Zawal (29)
Portugal – Andreia Correia (26)
Puerto Rico – Jennifer Colin (36)
The Philippines’ Gloria Diaz crowned their first winner in 1970, Marasol Malaret. After a near-win in 2019 with Madison Anderson, this state in the Bermuda Triangle has been gunning for its sixth crown.
Romania – Loredana Salanta (32)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2021.
Russia – Valentina Alekseeva (18)
At 18 years old, Valentina is one of the two youngest contestants at this year’s Miss Universe alongside Iceland’s Sóldís Vala Ívarsdóttir.
Saint Lucia – Skye Faucher (26)
Samoa – Haylani Kuruppu (26)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1986 when it competed as Western Samoa.
Senegal – Fatou Bintou Gueye (23)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1987.
Serbia – Ivana Trisic (30)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2015.
Singapore – Charlotte Chia (26)
Slovakia – Petra Sivakova (24)
Somalia – Khadija Omar (23)*
South Africa – Mia le Roux (29)
Mia is the first deaf winner in South Africa’s pageant history and the first deaf contestant of the main Miss Universe competition. She is up against many other “firsts” in this Mexico edition.
South Korea – Ariel Han (22)
Spain – Michelle Jimenez (21)
Sri Lanka – Melloney Dassanayake (25)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2018.
Suriname – Pooja Chotkan (23)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 1999.
Switzerland – Laura Bircher (24)
Tanzania – Judith Ngusa (26)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2019.
Thailand – Opal Suchata Chuangsri (21)
Like her predecessor Anntonia Porsild, Opal Suchata Chuangsri is rumored to be a favorite among pageant organizers.
Trinidad and Tobago – Jenelle Thongs (32)
Turkey – Ayliz Duman (20)
The country is returning to Miss Universe after missing out on last year’s edition.
Turks and Caicos Islands – Raynae Myers (23)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2014.
Ukraine – Alina Ponomarenko (21)
United Arab Emirates – Emilia Dobreva (27)*
United States – Alma Cooper (22)
United States Virgin Islands – Stephany Andujar (28)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2019.
Uruguay – Yanina Lucas (28)
The country is returning to Miss Universe after missing out on last year’s edition.
Uzbekistan – Nigina Fakhriddinova (25)*
Venezuela – Ileana Marquez (28)
After the United States, Venezuela has the most number of wins at seven. Like all powerhouse countries, they are also aiming for their eighth Miss Universe title.
Vietnam – Ky Duyen Nguyen (28)
Zambia – Brandina Lubuli (28)
The country is returning to Miss Universe for the first time since 2018.
Zimbabwe – Sakhile Dube (28)
* – country is making its Miss Universe debut
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