Pauline Amelinckx. Image from her Instagram / @rapyuphotos
MANILA, Philippines — Pauline Amelinckx’s fans and supporters have already propelled her to the semifinals of two online competitions in the ongoing 2023 Miss Supranational pageant, but they can now also help her secure a guaranteed spot in the global tilt’s Top 12.
The pageant announced on social media that the “Supra Fan Vote” poll has started on the official Miss Supranational app, powered by Choicely, and available for download on the App Store for iOS, and Google Play for Android devices. The first vote is free, it added.
Image from Pauline Amelinckx’s Instagram
It was not clear, though, if this year’s competition will have an initial cut to just 12 semifinalists. The two most recent editions had a Top 24, while the previous ones announced a Top 25.
Amelinckx, the Belgian-Filipino delegate from the Philippines, has already advanced to the Top 10 of the “SupraChat” Challenge by winning her group’s round, and was also included in the Top 6 of the selection for “Miss Influencer” by winning the “YouTube Influencer” Challenge. Both pre-arrival competitions were conducted online, and relied on votes, views, and likes to determine the winners.
Canada’s Alexa Grant, whose mother is Filipino, also advanced to the semifinals of SupraChat and Miss Influencer. She also won in her group for SupraChat and was the “Facebook Challenge 4” winner. She and Amelinckx have already met and shared snaps together when all the delegates arrived in Poland and gathered in Malopolska.
“I guess you’ve seen some footage of me dancing around with the ladies. It was a lot of fun getting to know the Polish culture more. It was beautiful seeing everyone, regardless of age, live this experience and simply be happy,” Amelinckx captioned her Instagram photo, which was apparently taken prior to the traditional Polish dinner prepared by Miss Supranational organizers.
She also shared how she felt upon receiving her sash that bore the country’s name. “After all this time, Philippines [Philippine flag emoji]. I honestly did feel a little emotional. This moment was so surreal and filed me up with so much pride and gratitude. To everyone who lifted me up and kept on believing in me, this one’s for you. What an incredible honor to represent our colorful nation and bring our stories and Filipino spirit to the [Miss Supranational] stage,” she said.
Amelinckx had to compete on the national stage four times before she got to represent the Philippines in an international competition. She earned a title in the Mutya ng Pilipinas pageant’s 50th anniversary edition in 2018, but the global contest she was supposed to join did not push through.
She then joined the Miss Universe Philippines pageant three times before finally getting a chance to compete abroad. She finished fourth on her first attempt in 2020, and was crowned Miss Universe Philippines-Charity in 2022. She finished in the Top 3 in this year’s contest, and received the Miss Supranational Philippines title in a separate program.
Amelinckx is now on her quest to score the Philippines’ second Miss Supranational victory, 10 years after Mutya Johanna Datul became the first Filipino woman to win the crown in 2013.
Reigning queen Lalela Mswane from South Africa will crown her successor at the 2023 Miss Supranational coronation show at the Strzelecki Park Amphitheater in Nowy Sacz, Poland, on July 14 (July 15 in Manila). Sixty-eight delegates are competing this year. EDV