Mr. World 2024 is PR’s Daniel Mejia; PH’s Kirk Bondad in the Top 20

Mr. World 2024 Daniel Mejia (left) and Mister Philippines Kirk Bondad —Miss World Facebook photos

The “most desirable man in the world” has been proclaimed, and he is Daniel Mejia from Puerto Rico who was hailed as Mr. World 2024 in Vietnam on Saturday evening, Nov. 23.

He bested 59 other aspirants to become the first Puerto Rican man to win the title, and succeeded Englishman Jack Heslewood at the final competition of the 11th Mr. World contest held at the Bikini Beach Square of NovaWorld in Phan Thiet, east of Ho Chi Minh City.

The recent staging of the international male tilt was held five years since last mounting a competition. Heslewood won in the 10th Mr. World contest that took place in Manila in 2019.

Mejia topped the Sports Challenge and the Talent Competition, with both “fast-track” contests earning him a semifinals berth.

Host delegate Pham Tuan Ngoc from Vietnam settled for the first runner-up spot, while Spain’s Toni Company Toeps was second runner-up. Angola’s Filipe Salvador Maria rounded up the final four as third runner-up.

The Top 4 delegates were the leaders in their respective geographical groupings, and were earlier proclaimed as continental winners. Mejia was Mister Americas and Caribbean, Pham was Mister Asia and Oceania, Toeps was Mister Europe, while Maria was Mister Africa.

The Philippines’ Kirk Bondad finished in the Top 20. He was appointed as Mr. World Philippines in 2022, in anticipation of what was supposed to be a staging of the international male tilt that year.

But the Miss World Organization (MWO) that mounts the male competition postponed the 2022 contest, and did not announce a competition in 2023.

In his Mr. World journey, Bondad highlighted his mother’s home city of Baguio, showcasing the chilly and mountainous terrain of the northern tourist destination. He also paraded in an Igorot-inspired ensemble in the national costume competition.

Andrew Wolff remains to be the highest-placing Filipino delegate in the Mr. World contest, finishing as first runner-up in the seventh edition of the international male tilt in 2012.

Australia’s Lochian Carey, who won in the 21st Manhunt International: Male Supermodel contest held in Manila in 2022, shocked many avid pageant followers by his early exit, failing to secure a Top 20 slot.

Heslewood was part of the judging panel, along with his predecessor Rohit Khandelwal from India, reigning Miss World Krystyna Pyszkova from the Czech Republic, and MWO Pres. Julia Morley.