Miss World 2008 Trivia

I asked my bestfriend, Wiki, about some statistics for the upcoming Miss World 2008 pageant in Johannesburg City, South Africa and these are what he gave me unselfishly. Enjoy these information my dear fellow beauty pageant fanatics.

Along with this report are two pictures I borrowed from an equally beauty pageant fanatic from a pageant crazy island in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico.

 

  

Returning countries and territories

• Seychelles last competed in 1999.
• Antigua and Barbuda, Egypt and Honduras last competed in 2004.
• Chinese Taipei last competed in 2005.
• Barbados, Congo DR, Portugal, St. Lucia, Uruguay and Zambia last competed in 2006.

Withdrawing countries and territories

Estonia, Grenada, Nepal, Panama, Romania, Slovenia and Suriname will not compete this year. Estonia, Romania, and Slovenia decided to withdraw themselves in the competition for financial issues and lack of sponsorship. Panama had problems with the regional organization and Miss Panama didn't have the South African visa at the time. Miss Suriname, Mireille Nederbiel, was not allowed to compete in Miss World by the decision of pageant organizers. The organiser of Miss Nepal pageant said it was postponing the contest scheduled for August 23, 2008 to unknown date, after the Maoist women’s wing, which has trained its sights on Miss Nepal, announced a Kathmandu Valley shutdown on the day to prevent the event.

Contestants notes

Egypt: Meriam George was replaced by Sanaa Ismail Hamed at the last minute for some undisclosed reason.

Hong Kong, China: Miss Hong Kong 2008 winner Edelweiss Cheung will not compete for the crown of Miss World 2008. The 1st runner-up, Skye Chan, will take over. Cheung will take part in Miss Chinese International 2009.

Philippines: Janina San Miguel was replaced by her 1st runner-up, Danielle Castaño due to Janina's personal reasons.

Thailand: Miss Thailand World will not be held this year, so last year's 1st Runner-up, Ummarapas Jullakasian will represent Thailand in Miss World 2008.

Vietnam: Trần Thị Thùy Dung is not allowed to participate in the pageant since her scandal of didn't graduate high school, as well as all the runner-ups or finalists who competed at the same pageant were also prohibited. The second runner-up of Miss Universe Vietnam 2008, Dương Trương Thiên Lý was appointmented as the replacement.

Tansey Coetzee (South Africa) placed as a semifinalist in Miss Universe 2008. While Athina James (Antigua and Barbuda), Alizée Poulicek (Belgium), Laura Tanguy (France), Alfina Nassyrova (Kazakhstan) and Olivia Carey (Mauritius) also competed at the same pageant, but they unplaced.

Fatimih Dávila has competed at Miss Universe 2006 pageant but unplaced.

Marelize Roberts (Namibia), Rosarita Tawil (Lebanon) and Nicosia Lawson (Cayman Islands) will compete in Miss Universe 2009.

Tamara Almeida (Brazil) placed as the first runner-up at Miss Maja Mundial 2006 and the second runner-up at Miss Tourism Queen International 2007. But in Miss TQI, she represented a special region, Fernando de Noronha, a Brazilian archipelago. Geisha Nathali Montes de Oca (Dominican Republic) also competed in this pageant, but unplaced.

Hannelly Quintero (Venezuela) placed as a top 5 finalist in Reina Hispanoamericana 2007.

Nataly Chilet (Chile) placed as a top 8 finalist in Miss Earth 2005 and a top 6 finalist in Miss Continente Americano 2007.

Gabriela Zavala (Honduras) placed as a top 8 finalist in Miss Earth 2004.

Elodie Delor (Martinique) placed as a top 16 semifinalist in Miss Earth 2007.

Jennifer Palm Lundberg (Sweden) placed 3rd runner-up in the Miss World Sweden pageant but won the title when all of the Top 3 declined the crown. This after arguments over the contract for the winner, which saw the original winner Amanda Ulfdotter being fired and the 1st runner-up and 2nd runner-up declining the crown for various reasons.

Danielle Castaño hopes to be the first Miss World from the Philippines

She's definitely the woman of beauty and substance. Beauty queen Danielle Kirsten Muriel Castaño, the country's official representative to the Miss World 2008 said that she hopes to be the first Miss World from the Philippines.

Castaño is off to Johannesburg, South Africa this coming Saturday, November 15 to compete in 57th Miss World Beauty Pageant, which will be held on December 13 at Sandton Convention Center.

Castaño, the beauty with a purpose, admitted that she really feels the pressure to bring the first Miss World crown in the country but promised that will give all her best to win in the said the prestigious competition.

"I think the pressure is wala pang naging Miss World from the Philippines and I would like to be the first Miss World from the Philippines," Castaño told in an interview during her send-off party at the Mandarin Suites at the Gateway Mall in Cubao.

Castaño who will be competing against 106 other candidates from all over the world also shared her excitement to represent the country and proved that Filipinas soar high when it comes to beauty and substance.

"I'm so excited because I will be competing at Johannesburg in South Africa and I'm ready so I can't wait," she said.

The beauty queen said that as part of her preparations for the pageant she's been training a lot of things especially for the question and answer portion.

She also undergoes training in catwalk skills and personality development with topnotch experts, she also learn how to put on her make up and other stuff she needs to as the official candidate to Miss World.

"Binibining Pilipinas was a training too when I was a candidate so I think that help too. And kahit na yung time (sa preparation) kasi pumasok ako sa school alam ko handa ako ito yung ginusto ko at nasa puso ko ang pag-compete abroad. I really want to be in this place," she said.

When asked on what she thinks will be the hardest part of the pageant, Castaño replied: "I think everything is difficult but with the help of other Binibining Pilipinas and with the help of people who are training me I would say that it's my pleasure and I'm just happy that they'd been helping me. Maybe I should not say it's difficult because I'd been working hard for this and this is what I want."

Castaño who was born abroad but raised here in the country said that she believes in destiny adding that she's destined to be in the upcoming pageant. She also shared that aside from her fellow countrymen her biggest inspiration for the pageant is her loving mother, the woman she considered as her hero and the wind beneath her wings.

Castaño also said that her strongest point to win the pageant is that the fact that she doesn't give up.

"My strongest point is I don't give up and lagi akong palaban and dapat when I get there in competition I should always think positive which how I am right now and for the whole pageant as well," she told the news site.

The 19-year-old beauty was raised in the country's shoe capital -- Marikina City but currently residing in Quezon City. She's also an athlete and excels in volleyball and track and field.

Being the eldest of three sisters, Castaño also holds a soft spot in her heart for sick and abused children. She said that she want to be remembered as someone who did something socially significant for the underprivileged.

'I love Janina'

Castaño made headlines when Binibining Pilipinas organizers announced that she will be replacing the controversial Janina San Miguel as the country's official representative to Miss World.

During the interview, Castaño said that there's no pressure for her replacing the original Miss Philippines-World but she stressed that she hopes that San Miguel will find happiness wherever she maybe.

"I wish Janina all the best and just keep praying and I hope to see you soon and I love you," she said.

Castaño told the news site that she wasn't able to find time to meet and to talk to San Miguel. "Actually hindi ko pa siya nakakausap so hindi ko po alam," she said.

It will be recalled that "Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. (BPCI) announced last September 29, that Ms. Janina San Miguel has resigned as official representative to the 2008 Miss World beauty pageant.

San Miguel won the Binibining Pilipinas Ms. World despite having difficulty answering a judge's question in English.

Report said that the untimely demise of San Miguel's grandfather, among other personal reasons, has caused her undue stress, thus hindering her from fulfilling her duties for the said title.

"In accordance with BPCI rules and regulations, 1st Runner-Up Danielle Castaño will replace Ms. San Miguel as the official Philippine representative to the Ms. World 2008 pageant," Belle Baldoza, public relations officer of the Araneta Group said.

Castano who also looks like the beauty titlist-turned actress Riza Santos said that she's not yet determined if she will join the showbiz after the competition.

Before the interview end, Castaño just appealed for the support and prayers of her fellow Filipinos as she competes for the 2008 Miss World.

"Thank you po sa lahat ng suporta niyo sa akin and prayers and I hope that I will bring home the bacon, well -- for sure I will bring home the bacon and I will just make everyone proud. Thank you so much," Castaño ended.

 

 Miss Philippines is the lady in floral dress. They are now in South Africa for the pageant.

Click on the pictures for larger viewing