The Mister International [New Era] pageant can now claim to be the biggest edition of Mister International ever as it drew a record number of contestants. Initially 49 confirmed, but two of them have issues with travel documents and could apparently not make it, leaving with 47. But then, one decided to leave the proceedings midway due to "health issues" and the roster was reduced to 46. But after the preliminary competition was conducted, one who was presumed to sit out because of travel issues made it and was accepted for the final, so the final roster resumes to be 47.
Let's first talk about the candidate who failed to make it:
GHANA -
Now, te contestant who withdrew:
BELGIUM - Nick J. Thyson.
So with the record quantity of contestants, do we have a high quality group? Can this be a "Magnificent" Batch? Read on...
I know the Mister Supranational pageant's high production values was mainly because it si bundled as a packaged pageant festival alongside its female counterpart and the national Miss Polski pageant. But what I would love to salute that with that subsidy, they managed to generate the most exciting male pageant competition around.
The opening number featured a fusion of Polish folk music and modern pop as DJ Gromee collaborated with folk band Ciupaga with the song "Bo ja cię kochom [Because I love you]", a very upbeat and energetic ditty. The contestants were clad in black Polish folk-inspired outfits and gave great energy for the less-than-two-minute duration of this number.
After that number, the hosts then appear. This year's hosts were veteran South African presenter Nico Panagio, with two Polish hosts, actress Kasia Kolaczek and presenter Aleksander Sikora. Nico was unflappable and impeccable throughout the evening, bringing an internatinonal hosting standard to the proceedings while Kasia and Aleksander primarily cater ot the Polish audience and did many of their spiels in their native language, most especially Aleksander.
Hosts Aleksander Sikora, Kasia Koeczek and Nico Panagio
The contestants quickly switched from their opening number outfits to the standard T-shirt and jeans intro carrying their flags aloft. The first half of the 36 contestants paraded to playback covers of Euro-disco numbers "Honey Boy" by Purple Disco Machine and Benjamin Ingrosso featuring Nile Rodgers and Shenseea and "Houdini" by Dua Lipa,. The second half featured summery bops by American artists, with One Republic's hit from Top Gun: Maverick, "I Ain't Worried" by One Republic, and "Sunroof" by Nicky Youre and dazy
After the commercial interlude, the contestants paraded in their swimwear provided by Polish brand Relleciga, again in a semi-choreographed production number with playback covers of "Mamma Mia" by the Limba featuring Dyce and "Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie" by Beenie Man
The next segment was a fashion segment that conceptually was inspired by AI, and supposedly as the contestants modeled suits with unconventional colors, the backdrop would showcase a supposedly AI-generated photo layout. They used an instrumental version of Depeche Mode's 1989 hit "Personal Jesus"--for a supposedly "futuruistic" theme, they decided to use this synth-rockabilly fusion track and omit the lyrics (because of course the Poles are such a conservative sort that they wouldn't like that song's lyrical content).
From that sequence they then whittled down the 36 contestants to the Top 20. I feel sad that the organization decided not to disclose who actually bubbled under the Top 20, so moving forward it's left to our speculation on whocame close. Here's my take on who possibly bubbled under...
ARGENTINA (guillermo Layus) I thought has the handsomeness and enviable physique to make the cut, but I did sense the lack of buzz (and perhaps less-than-standout communication skills) may have dimmed his luster a bit. Meanwhile, I did peg ECUADOR (Fernando Mendieta) in my Top 20 because of his communication skills and personality, but I have a feeling that was not enough to overcome objections over his relatively rough looks.
KOREA (Jo Seong Hyeon) was probably an obvious bubbling under choice as he's got some notices making the shortlist at Supra-Model. Meanwhile, MALAYSIA (Siavesh Akbari) got early buzz for his background as a medical doctor, but buzz faded as the days wore on so I was not that surprised he missed the cut. There were some pundits who also speculate that some racy modeling photos taken of him might have also hampered his prospects, but then again, I think of 2017 Top 20 finisher Htoo Ant Lwin of Myanmar who had nude leaks during his stint (and admittedly much more racier layouts after that), and that wasn't taken much against him.
I feel the guys that came closest to making the cut were two guys from the Caribbean. HAITI (Abdias Agustin) garnered heavy buzz from pageant fans and pundits for his sensational stage presence in the Supra-Model competition and Preliminary Evaluation, and he seems a decent-enough communicator, so for many fans it's an outrage he missed the cut. I definitely agree and believe he's the winner of the Lucas Malvacini award for this pageant. Though I did have reservations about JAMAICA (Jermain Harris)'s looks, I thought his Supra-Chat finalist finish (which reflects his strong interview skills) and overall polished presence may have been enough for him to make the Top 20, but well, I'm not that surprised that he made way for some other worthy choices and a seemingly favored Caribbean nation. Anyway, I will also peg him as the Lucas Malvacini 1st runner-up awardee.
As the Top 20 change wardrobe for the next sequence, this paved way for Gromee and Giupaga to return to the stage, this time with one of Gromee's go-to singers Sara Chmiel, to perform Gromee's latest single, "Spirit". I have to note that Sara was not the featured singer in the recorded version, but Mahan Moin.
Normally, the Top 20 sequence would be an upbeat resorts wear or streetwear segment. But this time, they decided to do a more somber theme paying tribute to the armed forces in a Top Gun-themed sequence. Interestingly, instead of using Kenny Loggins' tunes "Danger Zone" and "Playing with the Boys" (much less One Republic's "I Ain't Worried", which they already played during the introduction sequence), they opted for the slower "Top Gun Anthem" by Harold Faltermeyer and Steve Stevens and the very popular ballad "Take My Breath Away" by Berlin, and they opted to then end the sequence with a snippet from John Lennon's legendary peace-themed anthem "Imagine". The Top 20 sported t-shirts, fatigue pants, and boots with optional bomber jackets as they walked slowly in time with the glacial pace of the ballads playing int eh background. Considering Top Gun's reputation for seemingly endorsing war, isn't it in bad taste to showcase this type of theme especially with ongoing conflicts going on around the world? And ending it with "Imagine" at that? Actually, I think there is justification that we need to pay tribute to the presence of armed forces as in their role as defense, they do play an important role in keeping peace and keeping warmongers and other evil elements at bay, and this sequence effectively communicated that.
As the Panel of Experts deliberated on who would advance to the Top 10, this was the opportunity for another musical intermission, this time provided by Eurovision 2023 artist Blanka, who performed her latest single, "Cara Mia"*1. After that number, the Top 20 returned in the same military outfits as the hosts announced who advanced to the Top 10.
I got 17 of the Top 20 correct, one of my best forecasts in this pageant. Two of the guys I missed were in my "Bubbling Under" list, and one that is the closest as "headscratcher" has merits belonging there and sustaining his country's streak.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO (Anderson Subero) successfully sustained his country's Top 20 streak , and arguably he's the best of that trio (though to be honest, I thought their best representative thus far was the half-Polish guy from the inaugural edition, Adam Josef, who bubbled under in 22nd place). Still, there is a slight resentment as I feel his slot would be better served occupied by HAITI or JAMAICA, as like last year, he held up the rear in 20th place. Meanwhile, NEPAL (Dhiroj Kaji Basnet) I would deem a very refreshing inclusion as he was receiving rising buzz after his Preliminary Evaluation performance. His 17th place finish is a great achievement, that he even outranked one of my Top 10 bets.
PUERTO RICO (Cristian Gonzalez) and INDONESIA (Nathaniel Christopher) making the Top 20 were expected, placing 15th and 19th respectively. I was slightly surprised by PUERTO RICO's ranking, but I have to note that perhaps if this was, say, 2022, he could've done a similar trajectory like the eventual winner of that batch, Cuba's Luis Daniel Galvez. Such is the caliber of this batch that he could only manage to finish in this level. I feel interview skills were the clincher that helped INDONESIA secure his slot.
I was surprised by the actual rankings of SIERRA LEONE (Uthman Issa Bangura) and THAILAND ("Joe" Chonlawit Wongsriwor) as I thought they would've finish closer to the Top 10 than their respective 16th and 18th place rankings would indicate (in fact, I pegged THAILAND as a Top 10 finisher). It could either be the Panel of Experts did not favor them as much as many fans and pundits perceived, or it is again a factor of how "Magnificent" this batch actually is.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, I was surprised at the relative high finishes for BRAZIL (Mateus Maia) and CZECH REPUBLIC (Adam Sedro) with their respective 11th and 13th place finishes. I have a feeling interview was the key factor for their strong rankings, as I don't think their performances during the Prelimiarny Evaluation would've propelled thim to this high a ranking. And it could be argued that if it weren't for the Supra-Fan Vote award, BRAZIL would've been a Top 10 finisher.
I feel bad that SPAIN (Alvaro Germes) and PERU (Joel Farach) were shut out of the Top 10, as I thought they got what it takes to make more serious inroads than that--in fact, I pegged the former as a Final Five finisher. But I guess the Panel of Experts simply had their eyes on other worthy contenders (plus that Supra-Fan Vote winner). I guess them hovering close to the Top 10 at 12th and 14th place respectively should be testament to the "Magnificent" caliber of this batch.
As the Top 10 change for the next sequence, Blanka's batchmate in her national final, Jan Majewski*2 was brought in to cover Harry Styles' "Golden".
*2 He competed with the entry "Champion" which placed fifth. He should not be confused with the similarly named Jann, who was a sensation as the favored one to win with "Gladiator".
After Jan's performance, they made the Top 10 appear in formal wear but they first devoted a segment saluting the reigning Mister Supranational, Ivan Alvarez. After a brief chit-chat with the hosts and Ivan delivering an inspirational speech of gratitude and encouragement, there was a backstage interview by Aleksander Sikora with long-time choreographer Tomasz Baranski entirely in Polish, possibly discussing this year's concept for the Top 10 segment.. Normally, this sequence is to showcase elegance and sophistication and the music is typically a stately ballad. But this year, they decided to shake things up--if the Top 20 round featured stately dignified ballads, they made the Top 10 formal round into a dance-off as they played a cover of "Boogie Wonderland" by Earth Wind & Fire withthe Emotions and made them showcase their best disco moves--NETHERLANDS (Casey de Vries) and the PHILIPPINES (Brandon Espiritu) seem to be duking it out for the "disco king" title as they were constantly in dance mode even as they did their solo walks. It's tough to tell who won between them as while the PHILIPPINES delivered ferocious energy, NETHERLANDS showcased some slinky moves. Can we call it a tie? Right after that segment, Nico and Kasia announced the Final Five.
I got seven os the Top 10 correct. Overall they are satisfying choices, though I am still sore not seeing SPAIN and PERU up there.
VIETNAM (Đỗ Quang Tuyển) was the winner of the Supra-Fan Vote award, so it was expected he took the rear in 10th place. I only pegged him as a "Bubbling Under" choice, so I also wonder if he would've made the Top 20 on his own merits if he didn't win this award*3--I err on the side of believing he did make it also on merit, though. Anyway, I suppose his standout factor is his choice of glittering sequined suits for both the Preliminary Evaluation and the Top 10 round. He also ended up clinching the continental title for Asia & Ocieania, an honor accorded to the top performer from that region below the Final Five (I would've pegged it on THAILAND based on the actual ranking.
*3 They already included the Supra-Fan Vote champion regardless of their actual rank into the Top 20, only announcing that they won the fast-track during the Top 10 announcement. This is different from how it's practiced in Miss Grand International, where they would announce a Top 20 and allow the fan-vote winner who failed to make the initial cut to advance to the Top 10 even if they didn't get to showcase themselves in the Top 20 round.
I'm not that upset at the inclusion of MEXICO (Zait Reza) at this level even if I still have a stronger preference for SPAIN and PERU. He's a satisfying enough choice to be included here.
It's not surprising at all to see DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (Bray Vargas) and COLOMBIA (Rafael Rapelo) make it in the Top 10, at 8th and 7th place respectively, and both clinching Continental honors respectively for the Caribbean and Americas. My note is sthat I'm observing during the final that DOMINICAN REPUBLIC seems to be projecting a foppish aristorcrate, and it dawned on me that COLOMBIA is a dead ringer for former Daily Show host Trevor Noah
Trevor Noah
For many pageant fans and pundits including myself, POLAND (Patryk Karbowski)'s high 6th place showing is a bit shocking especially as all he seems to have going for him are his physique, stature and handsomeness. But one must reconsider--in modern tastes, they now consider less intelligent handsome men with hearts of gold as the ideal leading man--some call it the "himbo" trend, and actually this Goofy Hunk fits that bill perfectly. Even if he did this at the expense of SPAIN and PERU, in the end I'm not that mad he did this well.
I got four of the Final Five correct. The guy I missed has been receiving increasing buzz that him making it in this lofty group is a refreshing breakthrough. I have a feeling it was already a foregone conclusion on who would win and who would place fifth--the challenge was determining the ranking of the remaining three runners-up.
4TH RUNNER-UP: LAOS - Sanonh Maniphonh. He has been receiving increasing buzz throughout his stay, and with some favorites eventually falling by the wayside, this made room for this guy to take over a Final Five slot. For the final question, he gave a sweet, sincere, and simple answer, but it's a foregone conclusion with the caliber of the other guys that he ended up at this level.
3RD RUNNER-UP: VENEZUELA - Marcos de Freitas. His overall charisma and human interest story helped propel him among the top tier in this batch. There is a side of me who feels that that based on his response to the final qeustion, he gave one of the more substantial answers, so I feel this ranking is too low for him. I though he deserved 1st or 2nd runner-up. But still, the battle amongst the three runners-up is so tight that I think he just drew the short end of te straw according to the Panel of Experts' reckoning.
2ND RUNNER-UP: PHILIPPINES - Brandon Espiritu. We have unearthed a gem with this guy, as with charisma, buffness, and superb communication skills (with a story to tell, at that) this guy helped us break out of our Top 20 doldrums. I love his answer to give yourself a little grace and take small steps as it's sage advice that fits the question about how to talk to someone wo is on the verge of giving up on is dreams. There is a side of me who want him to be the last person standing with the eventual winner, but the Panel of Experts had other ideas...
It also dawned on me that for Mister World, Brandon's qualities are exactly the sort we needed to shine in that milieu--an athletic guy who has a story to tell. For now, I hope he could give some pointers to our current representative, Kirk Bondad, as I heard they're partners in a fitness business. And maybe after all his obligations as the reigning Mister Pilipias Worldwide, he could be made available to become our next Mister World representative.
1ST RUNNER-UP: NETHERLANDS - Marcus de Vries. If I were to rank the runners-up, I would've probably put this guy as 3rd runner-up, especially as I felt his answer is somewhat off-tangent. Sure it has a good message about respecting all women, but I feel that was not what the question called for. Still, it's obvious he garnered a lot of goodwill amongst the Panel of Experts throughout his entire "experience" in this pageant that I don't really begrudge his actual finish.
MISTER SUPRANATIONAL 2024: SOUTH AFRICA - Fezile Mkhize. This guy remains at the top of his game and all the qualities that made him shine at Mister World five years ago (were he ended up as 1st runner-up) served him very well here. He earned an automatic spot as the Supra-Chat champion, and those strong interview skills help him clinch the deal in the final question, as he talked about his family history of overcoming the odds and how that can serve as inspiration for someone who's downtrodden.
This could possibly be the best ever edition of Mister Supranational. It has a combination of high production and entertainment values with a high caliber of contestants. Can other pageants come up with this kind of spectacle? I hope this pageant would draw in record numbers next year as it deserves to grow.
SIERRA LEONE - Uthman Issa Bangura. He was originally supposed to compete in last year's batch but he could not make mainly due to visa restrictions. He was able to make it this time, and even if he retained his bleached-blond look, it turned out to actually be a plus factor as he made a major splash with his strong catwalk presence. This made him a Top Three finalist in the Supra-Model competition and looks like a shoo-in for the Top 20 with a possible play for the Top 10.
SLOVAKIA - Adam Palković. See PARAGUAY.
SOUTH AFRICA - Fezile Mkhize. He is already a very known quantity with his stellar 1st runner-up finish at Mister World 2019, and it seems all of those winning qualities that made him shine in that milieu are very much at play here--his background as a medical doctor, his superb communication skills, his buffed, athletic physique, and his undeniable charisma. It does look like this is his pageant to lose, and as much as the quality of this batch has ramped up from previous editions, they are all having to play catch-up against this guy.
SPAIN - Alvaro Germes. Again, this country fielded the tallest guy in this competition with this 6'5" looker. But he comes with a medical background being a cosmetic surgeon. He got some positive human interest buzz as he helped DOMINICAN REPUBLIC when he injured his knees and had to be briefly hospitalized. I find him extremely charismatic and in terms of handsomeness, only POLAND would outdo him in handsomeness. If you ask me, he should be making a play for the FInal Five, but I'm shocked that he wasn't shortlisted in the Supra-Model competition even if his torso-baring reveal seemed to be a highlight. Many may argue that his physique is on the lanky side, but those luscious pecs displayed in the Supra-Model competition made me think he's beefy enough to qualify as this year's Beefcake Behemoth in this group--just like his predecessor, the reigning Mister SupranationalIvan Alvarez.
THAILAND - Chonlawit Wongsriwor. He has a surprisingly strong command of English and he exudes a lot of carm and personality besides having strong communication skills to be a Supra-Chat finalist. He looks like a serious contender for the Top 10 as he's also a very polished presence all throughout.
TRINDAD & TOBAGO - Anderson Subero. He is better than his two recent predecessors, who both managed to make the Top 20 by sheer force of interview skills and personality. But I'm skeptical if he can pull off a streak with such a wealth of stellar standouts, especially with the likes of HAITI and JAMAICA also making major splashes. But he has made a major highlight as he won the Talent competition--he's the only one who didn't sing and instead perforemd an interpretative dance to Duncan Laurence's Eurovision 2019-winning song, "Arcade".
UNITED STATES - Alan Hierro. He's the least-buffed of this stellar group of contenders, but like CANADA, his redeeming factor is his strong communication and interview skills. Would that be enoug fro him to win over the Panel of Experts?
VENEZUELA - Marcos de Freitas. He garnered publicity for his background as a layman / altar boy in his Catholic church, but he exhibited a complete package of buffness, charisma, intelligence, and communication skills that made him a possible usurper to SOUTH AFRICA's presumed path to victory. Can he bring forth his country's second victory in this pageant and be the first country to have two victors in this pageant/
VIETNAM - Đỗ Quang Tuyển. The Southeast Asian contingent proves to be extremely competitive this year, with LAOS, PHILIPPINES, and THAILAND ruling the roost, and INDONESIA and MALAYSIA making major splashes. It's interesting that the's the last guy to be confirmed to compete, to the point that he wasn''t able to participate in Supra-Chat. However, he is short-listed in the Supra-Fan vote and Supra-Influencer, so like MYANMAR he could secure a ticket via this path, but he has stronger merits than the latter as he's way polished in his presentation and made a splash with his glittering red suit during the Preliminary Evaluation.
With all 36 contestants accounted for, let me trot out my leaderboard:
TOP CONTENDERS: NETHERLANDS,, SOUTH AFRICA, SPAIN, VENEZUELA
SHOO-INS: COLOMBIA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, LAOS, PERU, PHILIPPINES, SIERRA LEONE, THAILAND
LIKELIEST: ARGENTINA, BRAZIL, CZECH REPUBLIC, ECUADOR, HAITI, INDONESIA, JAMAICA, KOREA, MALAYSIA, MEXICO, NEPAL, POLAND, PUERTO RICO, VIETNAM
PERSONALITY FACTOR: CANADA, GERMANY, GUATEMALA, TRINIDAD & TOBAGO, UNITED STATES
FAN VOTE / INFLUENCER FACTOR: MYANMAR
EXCELLENT: COTE D'IVOIRE, INDIA, MALTA, PARAGUAY, SLOVAKIA
Here is my "Fearful" Forecast:
FINAL FIVE: NETHERLANDS, PHILIPPINES, SOUTH AFRICA, SPAIN, VENEZUELA
TOP 10: COLOMBIA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, LAOS, PERU, THAILAND
TOP 20: BRAZIL, CZECH REPUBLIC, ECUADOR, HAITI, INDONESIA, JAMAICA, MEXICO, POLAND, PUERTO RICO, SIERRA LEONE
BUBBLING UNDER:ARGENTINA, KOREA, MALAYSIA, NEPAL, VIETNAM
STRIKING DISTANCE: Everyone else.
Even if the looks of the "Personality" choices are glaringly weak, I would like to declare that this batch belongs in the "Magnificent" tier that is occupied by Manhunt International 2012 and 2020, Mister International 2015, and Mister World 2019. Even if there is an obvious front-runner with SOUTH AFRICA (Fezile Mkhize), we have other guys who would've been winner potential in another year, like the NETHERLANDS (Casey De Vries), SPAIN (Alvaro Germes), and VENEZUELA (Macos de Freitas) plus possibly the PHILIPPINES (Brandon Espiritu).Also, do not count out the likes of COLOMBIA (Rafael Rapelo), DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (Bray Vargas), LAOS (Sanonh Maniphonh), PERU (Joel Farac), , and THAILAND (Chonlawit Wongsriwor) from pulling off upsets and making major inroads. Plus do not count out the likes of MEXICO (Zait Reza), SIERRA LEONE (Uthman Issa Bangura), and the Goofy Hunk from POLAND (Patryk Karbowski) This is emerging as one of the most exciting editions of this pageant.
MEXICO - Zait Reza. In another year, he could be a possible player for the Final Five. But this batch is emerging as of such sterling quality that I'm not that certain if there would be room for him in the Top 10, as there are a wole host of compelling choices out there.
MYANMAR - Htet Oo Maung Maung. He has a playful charm about him, but then so do LAOS and THAILAND, and those two guys are way more charismatic than him. He still has a chance of making te cut as he's shortlisted in bot the Supra-Fan Vote and Influencer award, and I wouldn't be that upset if he made it via that path.
NEPAL - Dhiroj Kaji Basnet. As the days wore on there was increasing buzz about him having an inside track into the Top 20. He has proven to be more polished and exuding more charisma than expected, so it is worth keeping an eye on him.
NETHERLANDS - Casey De Vries. Many pageant fans and pundits are hyping him as a possible crown contender and sure Final Five finisher. I thought buzz faded a bit for him during the Supra-Model competition, but he came roaring back in the preliminary evaluation and with his touted interview skills, he's back in the running.
PARAGUAY - Osvaldo Orué. He has this attractive swarthiness that normally is catnip for this pageant but he wasn't able to channel his potential to the max at this point, so he's ending up as an also-ran in a stellar batch like this one.
PERU - Joel Farach. This Top 10 finisher at last year's Mister International [New Era], I originally peg as a Final Five player, but it seems as the days wore one he's being pipped by other compelling choices out there. I still feel confident he can finish in the Top 10, as his charisma is just too undeniable. Anyway, he made memorable impact in the Supra-Model competition as he is te epitome of the hip-hop term "pimpin'". I can even add he's "supa-dupa-fly".
PHILIPPINES - Brandon Espiritu. Many Filipino pageant fans and pundits have very high expectations for him finally delivering our best-ever finish in this pageant, as he has the handsomeness, the buffness, and the strong communication skills (especially since he is actually from the US territory of Guam and had spent significant amount of time within the 50 states of the US) to be a major contender to deliver us from the Top 20 doldrums. He did make a big splash at the opening ceremony as he delivered a stirring speech about him overcoming adversity like being homeless. But I was initially concerned as in many social media posts I didn't see him interacting much with the other guys and join in the spirit of brotherhood and camaraderie. But later on I discovered he is indeed in the thick of that lovely spirit, so I'm no longer apprehensive about him finally delivering our breakthrough.
Upon closer look, Brandon is also exuding the vibe of Manhunt International 2012 champion June Macasaet. And I remembered how in my Homestretch review of that pageant I was fretful of his prospects, that he could either deliver our best showing ever or be a shock fizzler. Let's just say I'm glad to find out where he ended up, and I feel Brandon can come close to achieving that, too, even if there is one runaway front-runner in this already sterling batch.
Manhunt International 2012 winner June Macasaet
POLAND- Patryk Karbowski. I swoon over the sight of him--with his statuesque height (I think he's 6'3"), buff bod and handsome features, I argue he's actually the best looking guy in this year's batch But many pageant fans and pundits were not bullish about his Top 10 prospects, as they find him a relatively weak communicator compared to the numerous stellar talkers in this batch, and his performance in the preliminary evaluation polarized many observers. Many would think his stage presentation was sloppy and ramshackle, but it's increasingly dawning on me that that very sloppiness is actually part of his charm--moving forward I will call him the Goofy Hunk. Will the panel of experts like his kind of charm, or will polish and finesse hold heavier weight?
PUERTO RICO - Cristian González. He seems to be evoking the vibe of Mister Supranational 2022 from Cuba, Luis Daniel Galvez, as he's undeniably has great looks and is a polished competitor even if he's exuding a humble vibe and is not drawing much attention to himself. But I have a feeling with such a batch with stellar standouts there may not be enough room for him to pull off a sleeper surprise.
COMING UP: SIERRA LEONE to VIETNAM plus the "FEARFUL" FORECAST
GUATEMALA - Joshua Mata. He's swarthy and well-spoken, and in another year he could be considered a middle-of-the-road contender. However, the standards of this batch is so high that he's one of the guys taking the rear.
HAITI - Abdias Augustin. There are several pageant fans and pundits buzzing about him, especially after the Supra-Model (where he was shortlisted in the Top 11) and most especially the preliminary competition where some pundits were raving rapturously about his buffed bod and ebony complexion. Could he deliver on the hype and go far?
INDIA - Aman Rajesh Singh. His lanky frame and dusky, swarthy features would've made him a middle-of-tye-road contender in another batch but with the stellar standard of this year, he is facing a big challenge making serious inroads into the Top 20.
INDONESIA - Nathaniel Christopher. He has a boyish Asian appeal about him, and he seems to be a strong communicator, so he can possibly parlay that into a Top 20 finish.
JAMAICA - Jermain Harris. Lookswise, he may pale behind some charismatic contenders from his region and Africa, but being shortlisted in Supra-Chat may augur well with his prospects in interview, and that could be the factor that could help him have a shot in the Top 20.
KOREA - Jo Seong Hyeon. He has a beefy frame and exudes the vibe and charisma of a K-Pop/K-Drama idol, but he is in fierce competition with several Southeast Asian competitors also evoking a similar vibe, such as...
LAOS - Sanonh Maniphonh. Buzz is heavy about him making serious inroads into the Top 10 and beyond. He possesses an engaging personality and has a surprisingly good command of English on top of his Asian matinee idol looks, so he could make a major splash and be regarded as the bestr representative fielded by the fledgling Southeast Asian country thus far.
MALAYSIA - Siavesh Akbari. This guy seems to evoke the Bollywood charisma that we expect from representatives from India. His background as a medical doctor should have also made him a Top 20 shoo-in, but as days wore on buzz was fading about him and it seems his Top 20 prospects are slipping away. Has he delivered enough to make the cut?
MALTA - Ruben Pulido. Typically, this Mediterranean island nation fields Caucasian lookers, so it's a bit surprising that we have this dusky guy representing them this year, and tere are times I confuse him with INDIA. I know this country also has a strong Arabic heritage to them--in fact the native language of this country is actually considered part of the Semitic language family and is related to Arabic. Does this guy's swarthiness come from the Arab extraction that this country is known for, or if it based from another heritage?
