Miss International 2017

All posts tagged Miss International 2017

Ahtisa Manalo before the official start of Miss International 2018

Posted by Norman on October 22, 2018
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Today is Orientation Day (left photo) for the Miss International 2018 Candidates, with the competition advocating to achieve a world where women can live with positivity, inner strength and individuality. The more than 70 candidates have started receiving an assortment of gifts from the various pageant sponsors.


And prior to this assembly, 25 of the ladies were handpicked to join in the special audience with the President of Japan Travel Bureau (JTB)where the Travel To Japan campaign was discussed and promoted. Miss Philippines Ahtisa Manalo was part of the group.

Yesterday, our doll-like bet was also able to meet the reigning Miss International Kevin Lilliana of Indonesia in person. She took the chance to have a photo taken with her at the lobby of Tokyo Dome Hotel – Official Residence of the Candidates.


Tomorrow will be the official start of competition with the Press Conference and Presentation scheduled in the early afternoon. More about Miss International 2018 soon!

Miss Universe, Miss World and Miss International: Media Interviews

Posted by Norman on November 30, 2017
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With their respective wins abroad taking place with just two weeks in between, Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa, Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar if India and Miss International 2017 Kevin Lilliana of Indonesia are in the midst of press tour/media guestings.

Demi-Leigh is in the Big Apple where she is spending the week doing the rounds of TV talk shows and radio programs. Manushi and Kevin, on the other hand, are back in their respective countries where a string of media appearances has kept them quite busy.

Below are videos of their interviews – one each:

Kevin Lilliana of Indonesia wins Miss International 2017

Posted by Norman on November 14, 2017
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And the crown goes to Indonesia!

Miss International 2017 Kevin Lilliana of Indonesia

1st Runner up Chanelle de Lau of Curacao

2nd Runner up Diana Croce of Venezuela

3rd Runner up Amber Dew of Australia

4th Runner up Natsuki Tsutsui of Japan

Congratulations, ladies!




You gave it your best, Mariel!

Posted by Norman on November 14, 2017
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Yes, Miss Philippines Mariel de Leon failed to advance to the Top 15 of Miss International 2017. You gave it your best shot, but things did not go in your favor.

You went to Tokyo armed with the right balance of determination and excitement so you enjoyed the journey from start to finish.

Kudos to you still, my dear!

While we’re waiting for Miss International 2017 Finals…

Posted by Norman on November 14, 2017
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…let us all wish Bb. Pilipinas Supranational 2017 Chanel Olive Thomas a good flight as she leaves for Poland to compete in Miss Supranational 2017.

Here is the link to the YouTube channel of Miss International 2017. Let’s hope it will work seamlessly.

Here is an alternative channel:

Hail, Hail, the Gang’s All in Tokyo for Mariel!

Posted by Norman on November 13, 2017
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Mariel displaying her talent in Classical Singing during the formal dinner with the other candidates

Mariel hugging parents Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong

With her A&Q mentors


The two most important individual’s in the life of Miss Philippines Mariel de Leon are already in Tokyo, Japan to give their all-out support in her bid for the Miss International 2017 crown. Celebrity parents Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong were tightly hugged by their daughter upon seeing each other at Tokyo Dome Hotel. And the scene was captured in photos by my friend Voltaire Tayag.

Also in Tokyo are Aces & Queens mentors Jonas Gaffud and Nad Bronce who are so happy to see their “anak” in high spirits.

Mariel is in a very happy place right now, most especially that she was able to display her Talent in Classical Singing during the formal dinner with some VIP guests and MI organizers in attendance.

Sunday Specials: normannorman.com’s Final Selection for Miss International 2017

Posted by Norman on November 12, 2017
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Yes, Miss Philippines Mariel de Leon is in my Top 10 Picks for Miss International 2017 along with – in alphabetical order by country names – Australia’s Amber Dew| Colombia’s Vanessa Pulgarin Monsalve| Curacao’s Chanelle de Lau| Indonesia’s Kevin Lilliana| Japan’s Natsuki Tsutsui| Lithuania’s Patricija Belosouva| Mexico’s Citlaly Higuera| Russia’s Elena Kviatkevich|and Venezuela’s Diana Macarena Croce.

I was told that there could be just a Top 10 during Monday night’s finals, hence, the basis for these Predictions.

Chanelle de Lau of Curacao is my #1 choice to win Miss International, but she is in quite the slippery spot to give way to either Vanessa Pulgarin Monsalve of Colombia or Diana Croce of Venezuela. One of these three ladies could interchange positions one way or the other.

The rest of my Top 5


Am I closing my doors on a possible back-to-back win for the Philippines? Not entirely. But my gut-feel is a respectable placement for Mariel that would put her in the Top 5, with my fifth spot belonging to Amber Dew of Australia.

I am giving that long shot chance for our Bb. Pilipinas to achieve a historic first because I still believe that she would be a deserving winner regardless of who the reigning titleholder is.

But if Chanelle is favored, then the organizers are simply going with the popular flow of things in Tokyo these days. This girl is vastly underrated, and should have placed well during the 65th Miss Universe here in Manila.

Live Streaming of the Finals in the MI pageant page on FB

FYI, there will be live streaming of the finals on Facebook so better get yourself ready to watch late afternoon of Monday to see who will win the 57th edition of this pageant.

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Mariel de Leon: Against ALL Odds

Posted by Norman on November 11, 2017
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What are the chances of a back-to-back win for Mariel de Leon?

“The odds are the chances that something will happen. … Anyone predicting the weather is telling the odds of rain or snow — they don’t know for sure. If something strange happens people often say, “What were the odds of that?”, which means: “I can’t believe that happened. The odds were against it.”

Mariel by Dookie Ducay

With the finals of of Miss International 2017 just a few days away, the question in most every pageant followers’ mind from Manila to Madagascar is if the Philippines will score a historic back-to-back win with Mariel de Leon.

To date, five (5) Filipinas have attempted to nail the crown for a second consecutive year – Isabel Barnett Santos in 1965, Evelyn Camus in 1971, Dianna Jeanne Chiong in 1980, Denille Lou Valmonte in 2006 and Bianca Guidotti in 2014 – but did not have the fortune to invite good fate on their side back then.

Mariel de Leon by Dookie Ducay

“Against all odds’ means despite very low probability; in a most unlikely way.“

Just like the other five, Mariel is against all odds – moreso now than the surrounding circumstances during the mid-60s and early 70s. A back-to-back victory for the same country is still a wish waiting to be granted, Miss International-wise.

But unlike several decades ago (or even in the early years of the New Millennium), the Philippines is enjoying a stronger wave of top achievements in the global pageant stage that can never be denied. The preparations of our candidates have never been stronger as 2017 records would attest to. And if the tug-o-war between Venezuela and our country is to be used as a barometer of popularity and sustained media mileage, then there could even be the chance of seeing Diana Croce and Mariel being the last two women standing.

But I digress just a bit because our bet has not received unanimous thumbs up from everyone, and will not stop at hollering the “clapper” screams and shrieks every chance they get.

So where does that leave us then? I would always go back to what our bet said during her send-off weeks back. Watch the video below.

courtesy of Beauty Beauty

Mariel went to Tokyo with the right attitude for competition. If she is meant to win the Mikimoto crown because the judges find her the most qualified among the 71 candidates, then so be it. She will enjoy the experience and not allow the back-to-back pressure hanging around her neck like a cowbell. Let it be known, though, that she will fight just as hard as everyone else in winning the Miss International crown – a 7th time for the Philippines on her agenda and a victory that would leave a mark in the history of the pageant for years to come.

For a third time in this post, Mariel by Dookie Ducay

Laura Lehmann in Sanya

Posted by Norman on November 8, 2017
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Laura’s last photo upload in Shenzhen Province before heading to Sanya

Laura’s first solo pic upon arrival in Sanya

Laura with Miss Trinidad

While the Miss World 2017 Head-to-Head Challenge that includes Miss Philippines Laura Lehmann and the members of Group 17 won’t be held until all sixteen teams ahead of them are completed, here are photos of her arrival in Sanya, China for the final leg of the competition which will lead to the much-awaited finals on November 18.

Don’t mind the excessive flowers that surround the heads and around the necks of the ladies as this is Sanya’s way of welcoming everyone.

With only Miss International and Miss World to focus on before the start of Miss Universe frenzy, I hope to get more updates from both Mariel and Laura from hereon now.

Laura with Miss Venezuela and Miss Vietnam

Mariel of the Philippines & Diana of Venezuela

Posted by Norman on November 1, 2017
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Miss Venezuela Diana Croce and Miss Philippines Maria Angelica De Leon are both undeniably beautiful. The former is looking at winning the Miss International crown with a one-year skip from the last Venezuelan winner (Edymar Martinez). Mariel, on the other hand, is aiming for a back-to-back with the reigning Kylie Verzosa.

Will these beauties be the Top 2 finishers come November 14?

Bring on the noise, dear readers! 🙂