Gemith Gemparo

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Throwback Thursday: Miss World 1991, from Dominican Rep to Puerto Rico to Atlanta

Posted by Norman on July 2, 2015
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages, 2 Shout-out-Looks. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

Miss World 1991 Ninibeth Leal of Venezuela (middle) flanked by 1st Runner-Up Leanne Buckle of Australia (left) and 2nd Runner-Up Diana Tilden-Davis of South Africa

Miss World 1991 Ninibeth Leal of Venezuela (middle) flanked by 1st Runner-Up Leanne Buckle of Australia (left) and 2nd Runner-Up Diana Tilden-Davis of South Africa

Miss World 1991 Ninibeth Leal

Miss World 1991 Ninibeth Leal

With all the controversies surrounding the Miss Universe Organization at the moment, allow me to do a Throwback Thursday post about the 1991 edition of Miss World which had its share of trying difficulties. The kinks may not have been as major as what Donald Trump is experiencing right now, but it still bears reminiscing for those who are not in the know.

Miss World 1991 was originally slated to take place in the Dominican Republic. But due to scheduling problems beyond the control of Eric & Julia Morley, the organization had no choice but to pull out the hosting and move to nearby Puerto Rico. As if problems kept on hounding the pageant, the same thing happened and cancellation loomed in the air like an impending storm. Fortunately, Atlanta, Georgia came to the rescue. It might have helped a lot that Gina Tolleson from South Carolina was the reigning titleholder and the American hosts were more than willing to take on the duties.

MU1992 Michelle McLean (middle) was in the Top 5 of MW1991. Ninibeth Leal (left) won instead.

MU1992 Michelle McLean (middle) was in the Top 5 of MW1991. Ninibeth Leal (left) won instead.

At the Georgia World Congress Center, Ninibeth Leal of Venezuela was crowned winner, with Leanne Buckle of Australia and Diana Tilden-Davis of South Africa placing 1st and 2nd Runners-Up, respectively. Included in the Top 5 was Michelle McLean of Namibia who would later on join and win Miss Universe the following year in Bangkok, Thailand. The Philippines, as represented by Gemith Gemparo, was unplaced.

Watch the video of the Miss World 1991 coronation now.

courtesy of Miss World Magic

P.S. Thanks to my friend Lex Librea for the blog suggestion. šŸ˜‰

Bb. Pilipinas 2013: The Curious Case of Lourenz Grace Remetillo

Posted by Norman on March 16, 2013
Posted in: 1 Pageant Pages. Tagged: , , , , , , .

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Bb. Pilipinas 2013 Official Candidate #21 Lourenz Grace Remetillo (Photo credit: R. Lacanienta)

Lourenz Grace Remetillo is a unique Bb. Pilipinas 2013 Official Candidate, I must say.

Lourenz Grace Remetillo is a unique Bb. Pilipinas 2013 Official Candidate, I must say.

I can’t recall the last time (if any) where a Bb. Pilipinas Official Candidate had previously represented the country in an international beauty competition being currently offered as possible national title (or pageant assignment for one of the runners-up if you will). A precedent would have been set two decades back had the Mutya ng Pilipinas-World winners of 1990 (Antonette Ballesteros) or 1991 (Gemith Gemparo) taken part in Bb. Pilipinas 1992 or 1993. That didn’t happen, though.

lg1 And so, Lourenz Grace Remetillo, Miss Supranational Philippines 2011 and Bb. Pilipinas 2013 Official Candidate #21, is looking at the curious chance of becoming 1st Runner-Up and possibly representing the country once more in the Central Europe-based contest she joined and lost in Plock, Poland. Of course, with the strong line-up, I have justified reservations if she will indeed place in the Top 5. But I don’t want to rub that in and prematurely rob her of equal opportunity.

But just for argument’s sake and Ms. Remetillo ends up showing Grace under pressure and gets ranked for Supranational purposes, methinks she will have the delicadeza to beg off and give the other runner-up the right to participate in Miss Supranational 2013. And the Madame won’t even lift a finger to intercept. šŸ˜‰