Miss Universe 2022

 Back to the powerhouses 

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

Fil-American R'Bonney Gabriel of Texas, USA won the Miss Universe 2022 title by besting 83 other national delegates at the close of glitzy rites in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. Outgoing queen Haarnaz Sandhu of India crowned the beleaguered beauty queen, who was under fire for allegations of favoritism, after being proclaimed the national winner; proving to all and sundry that she is the transformational winner deserving of the Force for Good crown.

Her court is comprised of Amanda Dudamel of Venezuela and Andreina Martinez of Dominican Republic as runners-up of descending order. Interestingly, this year's Top 2 contenders are both fashion designers.

The other two lucky ladies who made it to the final round were Gabriela dos Santos of Curacao and Ashley Cariño of Puerto Rico. All top five queens hail from the Americas - North, Central, and South.

While Mideline Phelizor (Haiti), Monique Riley (Australia), Ndavi Nokeri (South Africa), Telma Madeira (Portugal), Amelia Tu (Canada), Alessia Rovegno (Peru), Tya Jane Ramey (Trinidad & Tobago), Divita Rai (India), Alicia Faubel (Spain) and first-time placer Payengxa Lor (Laos) made it to the semifinal round. The Top 16 delegates competed anew in the swimsuit and evening gown rounds.

Miss Universe Philippines 2022 Celeste Rabimbi Cortesi failed to make it to the Top 16, breaking the country's longest semifinal streak at 12. Observers believed she didn't do well in the closed door interview which makes up 60% of the prelims score. She is, unfortunately, this year's El Tocuyo awardee.

This year's selection committee members were Miss Universe 2010 Ximena Navarrette, Miss Universe 1998 Wendy Fitzwilliams, book author Emily Austin, artiste Big Freedia, supermodel Mara Martin, entrepreneur Olivia Quido, media personality Myrka Dellanos, and Roku executive Sweta Patel.

With performances from Big Freedia, Amanda Shaw, Big Sam's Funky Nation, Tank & the Bangas, and Yolanda Adams, this year's edition was hosted by Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo and Emmy-award winner Jeannie Mai Jenkins, with Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray and Zuri Hall as anchor/backstage commentators. 

To date, the USA still leads the winners race at the Miss Universe now with nine. Previously, they won in 1954 (Miriam Stevenson), 1956 (Carrol Morris), 1960 (Linda Bement), 1967 (Sylvia Hitchcock), 1980 (Shawn Weatherly), 1995 (the late Chelsea Smith), 1997 (Brooke Lee), and 2012 (Olivia Culpo).

The 71st Miss Universe coronation night was beamed live from New Orleans, Louisiana through the Roku and Telemundo networks, and via ABS-CBN's Kapamilya Channel and the iWantTV and Lazada platforms in the Philippines and Filipino communities abroad.

Later this year, the 72nd Miss Universe pageant will unfold in El Salvador.