Miss World Karolina Bielawska feels ‘blessed’ with longer-than-usual reign

Reigning Miss World Karolina Bielawska (right) and Miss World Philippines Gwendolyne Fourniol/ARMIN P. ADINA

MANILA, Philippines — Current Miss World Karolina Bielawska was supposed to have a truncated reign when she received her crown in March 2022. But now she has held on to the title for more than a year and a half already, and is on her way to having a tenure of almost two years.

“I feel I’m very blessed to have it for such a long time. They cannot get rid of me to be fair. They called me very greedy because I’m the longest-reigning Miss Poland, and now I’m on my way to being almost the longest-reigning Miss World,” she said, in response to a question from INQUIRER.net, during a press conference at the Crowne Plaza Manila Galleria in Quezon City on September 21.

She succeeded 2019 Miss World Tori-Ann Singh of Jamaica, the longest-reigning titleholder who held on to the crown for 27 months, for a reign that extended longer than two years.

“But to be fair, I believe that to whom much is given, much is expected. And I’m sure all of us here can agree that we’ve been very blessed with opportunities, and meeting wonderful people in the journey, and being able to reach our goals and dreams. And I learned through those two years that when I share my happiness and my blessings with others, it makes me appreciate it even more,” the model and TV host continued.

Bielawska won her title in the international pageant’s 70th installment that commenced in December 2021 in Puerto Rico, in the edition that marked the end of the tilt’s pandemic pause. It was interrupted by a COVID-19 outbreak among the participants and staff, and the contest was temporarily suspended. They resumed in March of the next year.

The 69th edition was held in 2019 and no contest was held in 2020 because of the global health crisis. So, technically as the 2021 titleholder, the Polish queen was scheduled to turn over her crown in 2022. But the Miss World Organization (MWO) did not hold another competition, and kept her on the throne.

Reigning Miss World Karolina Bielawska/ARMIN P. ADINA

And now, finally, she will be able to close this chapter of her life, as she is set to crown her successor after a 21-month reign, when the 71st Miss World pageant takes place in India in the last month of the year, with the final competition happening on December 16 (December 17 in Manila).

Bielawska shared that she will make the most out of the remaining three months of her reign. “I think I’ll keep traveling. There is no time to rest for now, I will use this time as much as I possibly can. We’re having so many trips very soon,” she said.

Bielawska came to the Philippines with MWO CEO Julia Morley on September 20 to take part in the opening of a learning hub in Tondo, Manila, under the “Beauty with a Purpose” project of reigning Miss World Philippines Gwendolyne Fourniol with ERDA (Educational Research and Development Assistance) Foundation dubbed “Bridge the Gap, Build the Future.”

The two guests also came to the country to visit Fr. Marciano “Rocky” Evangelista and his Tuloy Foundation, that has been taking care of street children since 1993. MWO has been supporting the Salesian priest’s initiative for more than a decade already, and Morley renewed her commitment to help. Bielawska, for her part, said it is in line with her advocacy of raising awareness on homelessness.

“After the Philippines, I’m just going quickly home, repacking, and we’re off again, always on the road. So just please follow our journey and the work we do, and the projects we support because I think that’s the most valuable part,” Bielawska said.

Fourniol will try to score the Philippines’ second victory at the 71st Miss World pageant, 10 years since Megan Young became the first Filipino woman to capture the title.