Text by Ric G. Galvez [@the4ofustraveling] / Graphics by Krizza Enriquez [@kxxenriquez]
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It seems we can’t stress enough that Miss World is an extremely difficult pageant to predict. Although we correctly foresaw the winners of 2013, 2014 and 2018 editions, our Miss World Hot Picks record – when compared to other Big5 pageants – remains dismal. It is also frustrating that the results of Fast Track challenges are no longer reliable metrics when determining who will win the coveted crown.
Back in December of 2021, we released the Final Hot Picks for the 70th Miss World. However, since the finals night was rescheduled and then the Miss World Organization has recently released the official Top 40, revision of the final Hot Picks is required.
The top three spots remain unchanged. Miss Venezuela Alejandra Conde still occupies the plum spot cementing her status as the frontrunner. Her country is a beauty superpower however, it is already more than a decade since a Venezuelan won the Miss World crown. The country has a decent performance at the pageant since 2017 and it looks like it is now the time for the country to reclaim its glory.
Still occupying the second place is Miss Philippines Tracy Maureen Perez. She is a pretty strong candidate as evidenced by her performance at various fast track challenges. Unfortunately, for some reason, the Philippines has always struggled at Miss World. The expectations on Tracy Maureen at the start of the pageant was quite low but her formidable showing has created a favorable momentum that will probably propel her to the top.
Miss Cote d’Ivoire’s Olivia Yacé is the leader when it comes to fast track challenges. Her victory at the Top Model challenge should have been enough to label her as the next Miss World. But these days, being a Top Model winner does not necessarily mean you’ll place high during the finals. Still, her performance at the Head to Head Challenge led our beauty experts to believe that she is a serious contender for the crown.
Miss Cameroon Audrey Monkam is another African candidate that is making waves at the 70th Miss World. She’s one of the Head to Head challenge winners and placed second at the Top Model contest. This basically puts her in a tussle with Miss Cote d’Ivoire for the African Continental Queen of Beauty title.
The local beauty Miss Puerto Rico Aryam Diaz has climbed the ladder from 8th to 5th place. Her 3rd place finish at Top Model is the harbinger to a higher placement come finals night. She’s consistently proving her critics wrong and is considered as one of the dark horses in the pageant that can pull off a surprise.
Miss India Manasa Varanasi may be on the sixth place of this Hot Picks but some pageant experts are throwing in the possibility that India could win both the Miss Universe and Miss World crown for the pageant year 2021. READ https://missosology.org/regional/india/67980-can-india-do-it-again/
Miss Poland Karolina Bielawska has dropped from the 4th place to 7th place while Miss Mexico Karolina Vidales climb two places. Both of them are finalists of the Top Model challenge and both of their countries have won the Miss World titles: Poland in 1989 and Mexico in 2018.
Miss Czech Republic Karolína Kopíncová and Miss South Africa Shudufhadzo Musida occupies the 9th and 10th places respectively. It is possible that these placements are actually undervaluing their real potentials. At the Beauty with a Purpose challenge, Shudufhadzo is one of the winners while Karolína is one of the Top 10.
Completing this lists are the following contestants:
11. Miss Paraguay Bethania Borba
12. Miss Vietnam Đỗ Thị Hà
13. Miss England Rehema Muthamia
14. Miss Indonesia Carla Yules
15. Miss Bahamas Sienna Evans
