Reigning Miss World Krystyna Pyszkova’s Filipino connections beyond pageantry

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Reigning Miss World Krystyna Pyszkova / ARMIN P. ADINA

Krystyna Pyszkova became Czech Republic’s second Miss World winner with help from a team of Filipino trainors, she shared. But her connection to the Philippines goes beyond her journey in pageantry.

“When I was growing up in my town, I had this Filipino woman, her name is Maria Sunshine, and she was my very good friend since a very young age. I grew up with her, she was taking care of me, we became friends,” she said at her press conference held at the Grand Westside Hotel in Parañaque City on Wednesday, July 17.

“And once she told me, that was a time when I was a model, ‘I had a dream, you’re not going to be a model, you’re going to be a pageant titleholder.’ So she can even predict the future,” added the law student.

Pyszkova said Maria would tell her how beautiful the Philippines is. “It’s stunning because of the beaches and the nature landscape, the mountains. She was telling it’s more beautiful than the Maldives,” the global beauty queen shared.

She was able to visit the country last year, but it was not to explore the scenic destinations that the country boasts. She came to train for the Miss World pageant after winning her national crown.

“I knew that you’re very good at pageantry, and you’re very good when it comes to preparations, the [question-and-answer] training, the catwalk, makeup, hair, beautiful gowns, amazing teams. So I knew right away that the Philippines is the country I need to visit,” Pyszkova said.

Her week-long pageant preparations were conducted by JV Canta, who focused on honing the queen’s communication skills, and advocacy presentation. The mentor also tapped another Filipino trainor for pasarela (pageant walk). “It definitely helped me on my journey to become Miss World,” said Pyszkova.

The reigning Miss World titleholder is back in the country for the 2024 Miss World Philippines pageant, which means she will be staying in Manila and will still have no chance to explore the natural wonders that the country has to offer. “So far I see Manila, and the landscape and the nature is something on my list,” she declared.

INQUIRER.net also prodded her to share which Miss World titleholder has inspired her own journey to the crown, and Pyszkova said several queens come to mind. But the most impactful would be her country’s first winner, Tatana Kucharova who was crowned in 2006.

“When I was a little girl, I was watching TV with my mom, and I’ve seen in the news…that the new Miss World is Tatana, and I just looked up to her. She was a very powerful woman and she was doing charity activities in Czech Republic with elderly people, and she’s continuing doing that until now,” Pyszkova said.

The reigning queen has also been helping other people, even before she became a beauty queen, an endeavor that saw her fly to Africa to extend assistance to the needy.

Pyszkova will help crown the new Miss World Philippines at the national pageant’s coronation night to be held at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Friday, July 19. Thirty-three ladies are competing in this year’s contest.