Text by R. Galvez [@the4ofustraveling]
Graphics by Michael Ralph Montejo [@michaelralphmontejo]
In about 24 hours after publishing this article, the first post-pandemic Miss Earth will be crowned. For two years in a row, the pageant was conducted online and now there is some sense of normalcy. Back in 2020 and 2021, our beauty experts had to assess the candidates virtually. This year, they have a real chance to see the candidates up close.
There is of course a vast difference between judging the contestants virtually and judging them face to face. However, as to which method can produce a more accurate results is highly debatable. For example, Missosology was able to correctly predict the winner in 2020.
There is also an issue about the preliminary contests wherein medals were awarded. As previously stated, winning the most gold medals does not guarantee victory. This however doesn’t mean that we have to ignore the medal table. Back in 2016 and 2017, the leader of the medal table eventually took the crown!
With three golds and a bronze, Miss Colombia Andrea Aguilera is currently tied with Miss Korea Mina Sue Choi in the medal tally table. Our beauty experts however think that it will all boil down to the finals night where the interview segment plays a pivotal role in choosing the winner. That is why Andrea leads in our Final Hot Picks while Mina took the fourth place.
Miss Australia Sheridan Mortlock and Miss Netherlands Merel Hendriksen are the usual front runners are they are always in our Hot Picks. There is no question that they are the heavy favorites. Sheridan topped our First Hot Picks and Merel on the Second Hot Picks. The competition has tightened though and now Sheridan occupies the third place while Merel slipped to fifth.
While we continue to talk about the medal tally and early favorites, let’s not forget the darkhorses and the spoilers. This year, Miss Cuba Sheyla Ravelo can upend everyone’s list and she had a pretty solid showing that could allow her to clinch the crown. In fact, when the final scores were tallied, Sheyla and Andrea were tied but it was eventually settled when the medal tally came into consideration.
Here is the complete list of Missosology’s Miss Earth 2022 Final Hot Picks
- Miss Colombia Andrea Aguilera
- Miss Cuba Sheyla Ravelo
- Miss Australia Sheridan Mortlock
- Miss Korea Mina Sue Choi
- Miss Netherlands Merel Hendriksen
- Miss Venezuela Oriana Pablos
- Miss Palestine Nadeen Ayoub
- Miss Philippines Jenny Ramp
- Miss Belgium Daphné Nivelles
- Miss Nigeria Esther Oluwatosin Ajayi
- Miss Belarus Liliya Levaya
- Miss Puerto Rico Paulina Avilés
- Miss Brazil Jéssica Pedroso
- Miss Zimbabwe Sakhile Dube
- Miss Canada Jessica Cianchino
- Miss USA Brielle Simmons
Bubbling up: Kosovo, Mexico, Portugal, Russia
