EQUATORIAL GUINEA - Alba Isabel Obama Moliko. See CAMEROON, with shorter hair.
FINLAND - Petra Hämäläinen. She's reasonably polished enough and attractive, but she's not competing at the same level as some of her comelier and more charismatic peers out there. In another year she would've been a worthwhile contender, but with this batch she's middling.
FRANCE - Floriane Bascou. She's one of three black Europeans in this batch. This country has lately been considered a powerful sash in this pageant especially with Iris Mittenaere's win in the 65th edition of this pageant*5. There are some fans who believe there could be room for her in the Top 16, but I feel that there are several other ladies who make more compelling cases to earn her slot, even if we could not really fault anything in her performance.
*5 Considered tbe 2016 edition but held in late January 2017.
GERMANY - Soraya Kohlmann. This blonde has beauty, charisma and strong stage chops that she is buzzed to be able to be the first representative of her country to make the cut since the legendary Natascha Börger back in 2002. I'm rooting for her to succeed, even if her not-so-impressive credentials may not quite be up to the backgrounds of her peers. Being "Beautifully Confident" (though I peg her more as "Confidently Beautiful") does not necessarily require an impressive resumé if you ask me as it's supposed to be more of an attitude or state of mind, which this lady also have in spades.
GHANA - Engracia Mofuman. She evokes a warrior vibe with her shaved head, making her resemble the all-female army that we see in the Black Panther movies--yes, she can easily be cast as one of the Dora Milaje. She can conceivably pull off an upset and upend the three front-running Africans from ANGOLA, NIGERIA, and SOUTH AFRICA.
GREAT BRITAIN - Noky Simbani. She is one of the shortest delegates in this batch, but she is a very polished presence, and her biggest aces are her great communication skills, overachieving academic credentials and multiple advocacies. She definitely fits the "Beautifully Confident" mold.
GREECE - Korina Emmanouilidou. She's attractive and shapely, but not at the comely levels of her peers, much less Miss Universe 2001 1st runner-up Evelina Papantoniou. In a less competitive year she would've been regarded as a worthwhile contender but at this stratified level she's deemed an also-ran.
GUATEMALA - Ivana Batchelor. She was 2nd runner-up in the 9th Miss Grand International*6 and the winning qualities that help her earn that surprising outcome are very much at play here--polished stage presence, attractiveness, and superb communication skills. She did deliver a very strong performance in the preliminary competition, but she is contending with so many others who are also making compelling cases for themselves. Making the Top 16 is definitely within reach but there are so many strong contenders for too few slots.
*6 Considered the 2020 edition.
HAITI - Mideline Phelizor. She delivered a polished performance in the preliminary competition, though she has to deal with at least six Caribbean peers making compelling cases for themselves to make the cut that her Top 16 prospects are relatively distant.
HONDURAS - Rebeca Rodri67guez. Many fans are touting this blonde as the best representative from this country to this pageant. Many pageant fans and pundits believe her performance throughout was faultless, so she can possibly break this country's 67-year semifinal drought*7. I feel there are more compelling contenders fighting for one of the Top 16 slots, but I wouldn't object if she makes that long-overdue breakthrough.
*7 Pastora Pagán made the cut back in 1955.
ICELAND - Hrafnhildur Haraldsdóttir. I find this brunette a very refreshing sight during the preliminary competition, and I feel we should also keep an eye on her as a possible Top 16 contender.
INDIA - Divita Rai. There are many who felt that this lady may not make the cut even if her countrywoman is the reigning Miss Universe, but as she arrived in New Orleans, she seems to be on-point and continued to sustain that momentum all through the preliminary competition. It is a pretty cutthroat batch this year with so many great contenders fighting for too few slots but yes, it will be nice to see her make the cut, even if it's unlikely she'll deliver that coveted back-to-back win.
INDONESIA - Laksmi De-Neefe Suardana. Yes, like many recent delegates from her country she is polished with great communication skills--she is definitely one of those fit the "Beautifully Confident" bill. But with so many outstanding contenders competing alongside her, she is deemed as compelling as other contenders out there so it might be one of those rare blips that this country will miss the cut.
ITALY - Virginia Stablum. Alongside FRANCE and GREAT BRITAIN, she's the third black European delegate, although that blackness is diluted as it came from her father's side, who is German and various African heritage. She exudes oodles of charisma whenever she appears that many deemed her as having an inside track to the Top 16. There are divided opinions on her preliminary competition performance, some feeling she has secured a Top 16 slot and others saying her slot is not that assured. I personally am rooting for her to make it and felt she performed strongly enough in the preliminary competition.
COMING UP: JAMAICA to NEPAL
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