Opal Chuangsri Suchata

 Thailand wins historic Miss World crown, Philippines is Continental Queen for Asia

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte 

Chuangsri "Opal" Suchata bested 107 international delegates to be crowned the 72nd Miss World titleholder in glitzy rites in Telangana, India. Krystyna Pyzkova crowned the Breast Cancer survivor and advocate. Opal is Thailand's first Miss World winner. 

Miss World Philippines Krishnah Marie Gravidez shared the Top 2 spots with Thailand in the final cut for Asia & Oceania. With the latter winning the Miss World title, Krishnah became the Continental Queen of Asia.

Hasset Dereje Admassu of Ethiopia was the other lady Opal was holding hands with while waiting for the proclamation to be given out, winning as 1st runner-up and Continental Queen of Africa. It is the first time for both countries to reach such high placement.

Maja Klajda of Poland was named 2nd runner-up and Continental Queen of Europe, while Aurelie Joachim of Martinique, in her country's first Top 4 finish, completed the royal court as 3rd runner-up and Continental Queen of the Americas & the Caribbean.

The other lucky four delegates who competed for the Final 4 placements were Jessica Pedroso (Brazil), Selma Kamanya (Namibia), Mayra Melnychenko (Ukraine), and Krishnah Marie Gravidez (Philippines).

The delegates who also made it to the Top 20 were Guadalupe Alomar (Argentina), Valeria Perez (Puerto Rico), Athenna Crosby (USA) from the Americas & the Caribbean); Issie Princesse (Cameroon), Joy Raimi (Nigeria), Lamis Redissi (Tunisia) from Africa; Jasmine Gerhardt (Ireland), Chiara Esposito (Italy), Millie-Mae Adams (Wales) from Europe; Nandini Gupta (India), and Nada Koussa (Lebanon) from Asia; and Jasmine Stringer (Australia), who was named the Continental Queen of Oceania.

The Top 20 semifinalists were the ladies who made the first quarterfinal cut of 40 placements, ten from each continent and region including the fast track challenge winners.

They were Montenegro, Estonia, Belgium, Northern Ireland, and Serbia of Europe; Indonesia, Turkiye,  Malaysia, New Zealand, and Vietnam of Asia & Oceania; Dominican Republic, Trinidad & Tobago, Haiti, Jamaica, and Panama of the Americas & the Caribbean; as well as Uganda, Zambia, Botswana, Somalia, and Zimbabwe of Africa.

The over three-week competition run saw the delegates compete in several challenges that included Sports, Talent, Top Model, Multimedia, Head-to-Head, and Beauty with a Purpose, among others; as well as enjoy the cuisine, hospitality, and sights & sounds of Telangana.

Hosted by Sachiin Khumbar and Miss World 2016 Stephanie del Valle, with performances from Jacqueline Fernandez and Ishaan Khatter, the 72nd Miss World coronation ceremonies unfolded at the Hitex Exhibition Center in Hyderabad, India and was beamed to a global audience through Miss World's pay-per-view channel on YouTube.