Miss World Philippines Gwendolyne Fourniol is finally flying to her international competition. Image: Facebook/Miss World Philippines Organization
Gwendolyne Fourniol is finally embarking on her quest for the Philippines’ second Miss World victory as she flies to India for the 71st edition of the global competition, which will finally push through after being postponed several times.
It was in June 2022 when she earned the right to represent the Philippines in the Miss World pageant, on her second time to participate in the national contest.
The Miss World pageant originally set its 71st competition for late 2022, just months after the conclusion of the 70th edition that was derailed by a COVID-19 outbreak among the staff and participants.
The 70th Miss World pageant commenced in December 2021 in Puerto Rico, but was interrupted when several delegates, officials, and staff members contracted COVID-19. Only the Top 40 delegates were asked to return for the contest’s resumption in March 2022.
Karolina Bielawska from Poland captured the Miss World crown and has been reigning for almost two years already. The Philippines’ Tracy Maureen Perez finished in the Top 13.
Fourniol’s anticipation has taken a rollercoaster ride with the announcement of several dates and venues for the competition. There had been talks that the international pageant would be held in London, before the organization said that the contest would be held in the United Arab Emirates.
In June last year, the Miss World Organization (MWO) said India would host the 71st pageant in December 2022, but later said the competition would be moved anew.
Earlier this month, MWO announced the updated competition schedule for the 71st pageant, and said the coronation will take place in India on March 9. With the recent development, Fourniol found herself packing her bags and boarding her flight on Feb. 17.
Since her coronation as Miss World Philippines, Fourniol has been busy working with ERDA Foundation, the same charity organization that helped her mother go to school as a young girl in Negros Occidental. The national queen had also been working on the other aspects of the competition, building her stamina and working on her physique, and honing her “pasarela” (pageant walk).
Megan Young remains to be the only Filipino woman to receive the Miss World title. She won the crown at the 63rd edition of the international competition held in Indonesia in 2013, where the pageant also gathered its biggest haul of 127 delegates.”