Ahtisa Manalo takes aim at Miss Universe crown
Check this page for more Miss Universe 2025 news updates and features
Ahtisa Manalo was a vision of perfection in an archer-themed set of photos released ahead of the 74th Miss Universe final competition.
Holding a bow and arrow, and wearing a monochromatic brown ensemble, the entrepreneur from Quezon Province appeared to be aiming at the coveted crown.
The seasoned contender has declared the Miss Universe to be her final hurrah in the industry, the ultimate conclusion to a long and colorful pageant “career” that she embarked on since she was 10.
This year’s Miss Universe pageant will culminate at the finale show at the Impact Challenger Hall in Nonthaburi, northwest of Bangkok in Thailand, today, Nov. 21, with 120 delegates from all over the world vying for the crown.
Manalo delivered a solid performance in the preliminary competition held in the same venue on Nov. 19, and her national costume presentation also earned the approval of many.
In a pageant-crazy country such as the Philippines, immense pressure falls on the shoulders of those who carry the flag in international competitions.
Manalo is targeting the Philippines’ fifth Miss Universe victory, seven years since her Binibining Pilipinas batch mate Catriona Gray clinched the crown in a competition also held in Thailand. And for many Filipinos obsessed with beauty contests, that is already a long time to wait for another win.
The Philippines is the best performing Asian country in Miss Universe history, having four wins to date. Before Gray, the crown went to Gloria Diaz in 1969, Margie Moran in 1973, and Pia Wurtzbach in 2015.
Danish queen Victoria Kjær Theilvig, who won in last year’s competition n Mexico, will relinquish her Miss Universe crown to her successor at the end of today’s competition. And many Filipinos are hoping that it will be Manalo. /edv
