At the conclusion of the grand coronation night of Miss Universe 2018 held in Bangkok, Thailand just now, Catriona Gray of Philippines was crowned the new queen by the outgoing Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters. The extraordinary night witnessed outstanding performances by the gorgeous delegates of Miss Universe.
The 24-year-old Filipina beauty was a front-runner in the competition from the very beginning. With thousands of followers keeping a tab on her every move, she was a force to be reckoned with and one of the most loved competitors this year. Not new to the pageantry, she also represented the Philippines in Miss World 2016 where she placed in the Top 5 with her incredible performance. The newly crowned queen’s court included –
First Runner-Up – Tamaryn Green, Miss Universe South Africa 2018
Second Runner-Up – Sthefany Gutierrez, Miss Universe Venezuela 2018
As the finale commenced, the ninety four contestants were cut down to Top 20 which included five from Africa and Asia Pacific, five contestants from Europe and Americas respectively and five contestants who were the wildcard entries. The Top 20 included – (Africa and Asia Pacific) Tamaryn Green, Catriona Gray, Manita Devkota, Hhen Nie, Ning Sophida; (Europe) Magdalena Swat, Zoe Brunet, Dee Ann Kentish Rogers, Eniko Kecskes, Grainne Gallanagh; (Americas) Akisha Albert, Natalia Carvajal, Marta Magdalena Stepien, Kiara Liz Ortega, Emily Maddison; (Wildcards) Sarah Rose Summers, Sthefany Gutierrez, Sonia Fergina Citra, Mayra Dias and Francesca Hung.
After the Top 20 were announced, a new round was introduced to Miss Universe pageant where the contestants represented themselves as they gave their introduction in one line (15-second videos). This was to help the jury to know the contestants better and to give them a little help in selecting the contestants which would then move on to the next round.
As the introduction concluded, a special mention was given to Miss Universe Spain 2018 Angela Ponce who was the first transgender ever to participate in the Miss Universe pageant. As she walked on the stage exuding confidence and grace, she was heavily applauded for her courage and standing out despite the heavy criticism she faced.
With the finale reaching midway, the accomplished panel of jury announced the Top 10 contestants - Tamaryn Green, Hhen Nie, Sthefany Gutierrez, Catriona Gray, Akisha Albert, Natalia Carvajal, Manita Devkota, Marta Magdalena Stepien, Ning Sophida and Kiara Liz Ortega. With backstage commentary by the gorgeous Ashley Graham and Lu Carson, the grand event was another success this year.
The contestants paraded in their swimsuits and Evening gowns where the jury assessed them on the catwalk, confidence, elegance and personality. Grooving on the beats of famous songs such as I like me better and Girls like you, the top 10 contestants definitely proved their worth in the game. Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters also walked on the stage as she took a bow after the completion of her reign.
The Top 10 was then cut down to Top 5 which included Kiara Liz Ortega (Puerto Rico), Hhen Nie (Vietnam), Catriona Gray (Philippines), Tamaryn Green (South Africa) and Sthefany Gutierrez (Venezuela). Taking their final walks, Ne-Yo performed on the stage mesmerizing the audience with his melodic voice. The Top 5 then faced the question and answer round where their fluency and presence of mind was tested. As the Top 5 cut down to Top3 which included Venezuela, Philippines and South Africa, the contestants faced another question and answer round before the winner was announced.
It is safe to say that the finale was a success and that too a huge one with commendable performances by all the delegates and a special mention the host Steve Harvey who did an incredible job. Congratulations to the newly crowned queen.