Gwendolyne Fourniol earns praise from Miss World PH national director

Miss World Philippines Gwendolyne Fourniol (right) and her national director Arnold Vegafria. Image: Facebook/Arnold Vegafria

Almost two weeks since Gwendolyne Fourniol’s surprise exclusion from the quarterfinals of the recent Miss World Festival, her national director has finally broken his silence to share his thoughts on the global tilt’s outcome.

“You may not have gotten the [nod] of the jurors at the recent 71st Miss World coronation night in Mumbai, India, but that doesn’t in any way diminish all the hard work you did and significant achievements that you earned during the past two years,” Miss World Philippines National Director Arnold Vegafria said in a Facebook post.

The French-Filipino model and education advocate from Himamaylan, Negros Occidental, did not hurdle the first cut to 40 at the Miss World final show held at the Jio World Convention Center on March 9, despite getting the call in several “fast-track” events whose winners automatically earned slots in the quarterfinals.

Fourniol was in the Top 32 of the Sports Challenge, in the Top 25 of the Head-to-Head Challenge, in the Top 23 of the Talent contest, and in the Top 20 of the Top Model competition. At the end of the show, the Miss World crown went to Krystyna Pyszkova from the Czech Republic, edging out 111 other delegates for the title.

“We can only pray that you will forever remain a beacon of inspiration for the thousands of underprivileged kids whose lives [have] been changed by ERDA (Educational Research and Development Assistance) Foundation, an organization that you have chosen as your rightful advocacy,” Vegafria shared.

Fourniol’s mother was a beneficiary of the foundation decades ago, and received educational support from ERDA. The beauty queen has been working with the group even before earning her national title, and launched her Miss World “Beauty with a Purpose” project “Bridge the Gap, Build the Future” which saw a learning hub opened in Tondo, Manila.

Miss World Organization (MWO) President Julia Morley and 70th Miss World Karolina Bielawska even flew to the Philippines to witness the opening of the learning hub in September last year, upon the invitation of Vegafria and Fourniol.

“Your wealth of experience and pageant insights will also prove valuable to aspiring Miss World Philippines queens who will always look up to you as their role model and mentor. Thank you, Gwen from putting up a good fight,” Vegafria continued.

Fourniol had earlier shared that she was in a “state of confusion” after the Miss World pageant. But she also said, “I shall soldier on… because I know I will be stronger, better and wiser.”

The Miss World Philippines organization is already accepting applicants for the 2024 edition, which will be held two years since Fourniol captured the national title. Qualifications, details and other information about the application are found on the pageant’s official Facebook page.

Megan Young remains to be the lone Miss World winner from the Philippines. She posted the country’s first, and so far only, victory at the 63rd edition of the global tilt held in Indonesia in 2013.