The magnificent finale of Miss Brasil 2017 (Miss Brazil 2017) held last night concluded with the crowning of Monalysa Alcântara from Piauí as the winner. Monalysa succeeds and was crowned by Miss Brasil 2016, Raissa Santana, and will now represent Brazil in Miss Universe 2017 to be held later this year.
The new Miss Brasil is just 19 years of age and stands tall at 177 cm. She defeated twenty-six other gorgeous beauties to clinch the coveted title and the crown. She is a student of business administration and is the third black beauty to win Miss Brasil title. This is the first time in the history of Miss Brasil pageant that two black beauties have won the contest back to back after Raissa won the Miss Brasil 2016 title.
In the question and answer round, Monalysa was asked as to what would be her strategy to represent Brazil internationally. "My strategy will be to be myself: a north-eastern Brazilian woman, who has gone through many things, many pains that made me who I am today, I will be myself", she answered.
She wants to help the black women to value their own beauty. "Throughout my story, I will help black women to look more beautiful and show that they are capable of following their own dreams, just as I have followed mine," she said.
At the same event, Juliana Mueller from Rio Grande do Sul was declared the first runner-up and Stephany Pim from Espírito Santo finished as the second runner-up. Top 5 also included Iully Thaísa Bezerra from Pernambuco and Saiury Carvalho from Sergipe.
Remaining Top 10 finalists were Kailane Amorim from Acre, Nathália Pastoura from Alagoas, Aléxia Tavares Duarte from Ceará, Ana Beatriz Nazareno from Maranhão and Milena Balza from Rio Grande do Norte.
Sixteen semi-finalists also included Juliana Soares from Amazonas, Caroline Oliveira from Bahia, Jeovanca Nascimento from Goiás, Aline Fontes from Mato Grosso, Patrícia Martins Garcia from Paraná, and Islane Machado Rocha from Tocantins.
The last time a Brazilian beauty managed to win Miss Universe pageant was in 1968, it would be interesting to see if Monalysa Alcântara is able to bring the Miss Universe crown to Brazil after 39 years.