The representative of Poland, Karolina Bielawska, won this Wednesday the crown of miss World 2021, at a gala held in Puerto Rico in which no Latin candidate won and was surrounded by some controversy. The first finalist was Shree Saini, the candidate from the United States, and the second, Olivia Yace, from the Ivory Coast, one of the favorites of the 70th edition of the beauty pageant. “When I heard my name I was surprised, I still can’t believe it. I feel honored,” Bielawska said through tears, being crowned by Jamaican Toni-Ann Singh, who remained sovereign since 2019 due to the cancellation of the pageant in 2020 due to the pandemic.
empathy and compassion
Bielawska, who is 23 years old, studying for a master’s degree in administration and enjoys doing volunteer work, decided to be “more authentic” and “enrich the lives” of other people. “If you want to discover something new, try to learn to be richer in empathy, gratitude and compassion,” she answered in the round of questions prior to her election to wear the blue crown.
During the gala, which took place at the Coca Cola Music Hall in San Juan, controversy reigned over legal problems among the organizers and for the non-election not even for the Top 12 of some Latinas such as the representative of Venezuela, Alejandra Conde. The final of the contest was scheduled for December 16 at the Puerto Rico Coliseum, but had to be postponed three months after 38 positive cases of covid-19 were recorded, between candidates and technical team personnel. 40 of the 97 Miss World contestants, the quarter-finalists, returned to the Caribbean island this week, parading on a stage enlivened by the Puerto Rico Philharmonic Orchestra.
The top 12, which this time was made up of 13 due to a tie, was made up of Vietnam, Mexico, Northern Ireland, the Philippines, Poland, Somalia, the United States, Colombia, the Czech Republic, France, India, Indonesia and the Ivory Coast. . The representatives of the USA, Shree Saini; Poland, Karolina Bielawska; Indonesian Pricilia Yules; Mexico, Karolina Vidales; Northern Ireland, Anna Leitch; and Ivory Coast, Olivia Yace.
disappointment and criticism
The announcement caused disappointment and even boos among the public, surprised by the absence of some of the main favorites of the experts: the Venezuelan Alejandra Conde, and the local candidate, the Puerto Rican Aryam Díaz. Among the public, delegations from Latin American countries such as Venezuela and Mexico predominated, which did not stop waving their national flags and shouting the names of their countries. “Let a Latina win”, “Venezuela, land of queens” and “I am a Puerto Rican, so that you know”, were some of the slogans that many in the room strongly chanted.
Related news
The final gala was also held after several legal disputes, since the company Puerto Rico With a Purpose (PRwaP) sued the Miss World 2016 and president of the organization Reignite Puerto Rico Inc., Stephanie Del Valle, for alleged fraud. PRwaP demanded the payment of 1,225,000 dollars, a sum of money from public funds that the former Puerto Rican beauty queen had allegedly not returned, who nevertheless demonstrated that she made the corresponding payment. Del Valle countersued PRwaP, demanding an amount greater than 31 million dollars for moral damages, and announced that she would not participate in the events of the Miss World 2021 final. There were, in fact, shouts in favor of Del Valle and boos to others from the organizers or sponsors of the pageant, such as the cryptocurrency tycoon Brock Pierce, in charge of PRwaP, and the president of the Miss World Organization, Julia Morley.
During the event, Ukraine was remembered and Pierce asked the attendees to light the candles that were on the months, in a tribute enlivened by the voice of the Jamaican Toni-Ann Singh.