Chelsea Manalo named Miss Universe – Asia; finishes in Top 30

FILIPINOS are very proud of what Gen Z Philippine bet Chelsea Manalo achieved in the 73rd Miss Universe competition.

Despite not winning the Philippines’ fifth Miss Universe crown, Manalo continued to make history by being the first Miss Universe – Asia, one of the four continental queens named during a press conference after the coronation night on Sunday, November 17 (Philippine time), in Mexico.

Joining the 25-year-old Bulakenya beauty queen are Finland’s Matilda Wirtavuori as Miss Universe – Europe and Middle East, Peru’s Tatiana Calmell as Miss Universe – Americas, and Nigeria’s Chidimma Adetshina as Miss Universe – Africa and Oceania.

The Miss Universe Philippines (MUPH) organization congratulated Manalo, who concluded her campaign in the Top 30, for bagging the Philippines’ first Miss Universe – Asia title.

It also thanked the country’s first Filipino-Black American Miss Universe Philippines titleholder for putting up a good fight in the competition, saying the Filipino nation is proud of her.

“With or without a crown, you are the epitome of Filipina strength and beauty, Chelsea!” it said.

Meanwhile, Manalo shared her milestone with her fellow Filipinos through a clip posted by the MUPH organization.

“Maraming salamat, mabuhay ang Pilipinas! We are making history as Miss Universe – Asia,” she said, wearing the tiffany gown she would have worn in the evening gown competition if she advanced to the Top 12.

During the finals night, Manalo gracefully walked the runway with her iconic “Tampisaw Walk” in the swimsuit round, which earned praise from Filipino netizens. Many were mesmerized by her pasarela or the runway walk, with some echoing that it should have earned her a spot in the Top 12.

On Instagram, Manalo shared several photos of her donning her fully beaded tiffany gown with “a soft armour covered in ostrich feathers.” It was a fusion of “modern glamour” and “timeless grace,” according to the beauty queen.

Manalo was the only Pinay beauty queen who entered the Top 30. This year’s Miss Universe competition featured three other delegates with Filipino roots: Bahrain’s Shereen Ahmed, Great Britain’s Christina Dela Cruz Chalk, and New Zealand’s Victoria Velasquez Vincent.

Pageant Q&A coach JV Canta previously told republicasia that Manalo was an “absolute contender” for the crown, with the “silent yet steady confidence” she exuded in the preliminary round.

Denmark wins

The finals night saw more than a hundred candidates from across the globe vying to win the Miss Universe 2024 title. 

In the end, it was Denmark’s Victoria Kjær Theilvig who took home the “The Light of Infinity” crown, the first-ever Filipino-made Miss Universe crown featuring the Philippines’ national gem: the South Sea pearls. 

Theilvig made a historic win as Denmark’s first-ever Miss Universe titleholder. She succeeded Sheynnis Palacios, the first Nicaraguan to win the Miss Universe pageant.

During the final round, the Top 5 candidates were asked the same question: “Miss Universe has inspired generations of women. What is your message to the ones watching you right now?”

Theilvig’s winning answer and message to the world was:  

“No matter where you come from, no matter your past, you can always choose to turn it into your strengths. It will never define who you are; you just gotta keep fighting. I stand here today because I wanna change, I wanna make history, and that’s what I’m doing tonight. So never give up, always believe in yourself and your dreams, and that is exactly what you’re going to do.”

Adetshina was named first runner-up, followed by Mexico’s Maria Fernanda Beltran as second runner-up, Thailand’s Opal Suchata Chuangsri as third runner-up, and Venezuela’s Ileana Marquez Pedroza as fourth runner-up.