Kiara Sherman was crowned Miss Bahamas Universe 2009 under the theme "A Taste of the Bahamas Through Elegance" at the Nassau Wyndham Resorts, Rain Forest Theatre on Sunday, May 25th.
The sold out gala event featured a plethora of young, talented ladies who were narrowed down stepwise to first 12, 8, then 5 and eventually the final three who were crowned Miss Bahamas International, Miss Bahamas Earth and Miss Bahamas Universe in order of ascendancy.
Sherman will now play as hostess to the eighty plus international beauty queens at the 58th Annual Misss Universe pageant on August 23.
Crowned as Miss Bahamas Earth is the heavy favourite IFE Bethel Sears. Many fans have been disappointed when she did not get the Miss Bahamas Universe title.
Amanda Appleyard is crowned as the Miss Bahamas International.
Alyssa Knowles and Camille Kenny were crowned third and fourth runners-up respectively.
The pageant is not without controversies.
Originally, there were seventeen women who signed up for the pageant, but three dropped out citing personal differences with pageant organizer Gaynell Rolle-Stubbs.
Last year's Miss Bahamas Universe Sacha Scott did not show up; rumour has it that she refused to attend the pageant because she has never received her prizes. In place of Scott, her runner-up Garnell Storr, Miss Bahamas Earth 2008, was introduced simply as "Miss Bahamas."
One of the contestants, Enna Thomas, a big favorite but failed to reach the semifinals, walked out of the event before it was finished and did not claim her two special awards.
