MGI 2021 prelims

SamPan sizzles in gown and swimsuit prelims

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

As expected, the candidates brought the ante several notches higher with fabulous creations in the evening gown preliminary competition. However, the plethora also made our work, of choosing the standouts, much easier.

Leading the pack is Binibining Pilipinas Grand International 2021 Samantha Alexandra Panlilio who simply stunned spectators with her hand-embroidered sheer cape gown from Rhian Fernandez. The creation simply enthralled against the backdrop of gleaming cascades in a rainforest.

The gem-encrusted gossamer gown still left much for the imagination, and the shoulder detail paid homage to everything Asian - from the minarets of temples and mosques to the sleeves of puppets in Asian theater. Yet again, it could also be the inverted form of a skiff, that coincidentally is her moniker - SamPan.

Other standouts in the gown segment were:

- Vanessa Carolina Coello of Venezuela, with her high-collared fully-beaded ensemble with filigreed sleeves and shoulder train;

- Lorena Rodriguez of Brazil, who wore a crimson feather-infused bustier;

- Viviane Diaz Arroyo of Puerto Rico's golden spangle-decked bodyhugger; and

- Barbora Aglerova of Czech Republic in her form-fitting, body-revealing golden number with shoulder bead filigrees.

In the swimsuit competition, which is the other half of their dockside performance, SamPan held her own in a perfectly executed pasarela with a cadence that matched the upbeat Latin beat.

Other standouts in the swimwear prelims, who all wore identical MGI mint blue printed maillots were:

- Marcia de Menezes, Angola

- Lorena Rodrigues, Brazil 

- Zomkey Tenzin, Belgium

- Geysel Vaillant, Cuba

- Sothida Pokimtheng, Cambodia

- Adriana Moya, Costa Rica

- Stephanie Medina, Dominican Republic

 - Maria Jose Sazo, Guatemala

- Sophia Rogan, Indonesia

- Jacobea Solis, Nicaragua

- Viviane Diaz Arroyo, Puerto Rico

- Indy Johnson, Thailand

  and

- Vanessa Carolina Coello, Venezuela

Some of the national directors who were present were welcomed on stage. And they got to witness MGI president Nawat Itsaragrisil receive the recognition, from the Global Beauties organization, as 2020's Pageant of the Year awardee. Next year will be the 10th year of the Thailand-based pageant system.

Pageant fans and supporters can vote for their favorite candidates, using *789 through the Star app, and let them automatically qualify for the Top 10 final round. Catch the continuing glitz and glam when the Miss Grand International 2021 final show happens on Dec. 4.

The grand coronation night will be beamed live to a global audience via Grand TV's YouTube,Facebook, and Instagram channels.