Written by Cheska Alferez
The USA wins Miss Grand International 2020. Miss Grand USA Abena Appia was crowned Miss Grand International 2020 on Saturday, March 27, at the close of glitzy coronation rites in Bangkok’s Show DC Hall.
She is the 7th queen to hold the title since the pageant was launched in 2013.
She the first woman from the United States to win the “golden crown.”
She received the crown from Valentina Figuera from Venezuela, who won in 2019.
The newly crowned queen, Miss USA, is now part of an elite roster that includes Janelee Chaparro (2013, Puerto Rico), Lees Daryanne Garcia (2014, Colombia), Claire Elizabeth Parker (2015, Australia), Ariska Putri Pertiwi (2016, Indonesia), Maria José Lora (2017, Peru), Clara Sosa (2018, Paraguay), and the longest-reigning winner, to date, Valentina Figuera (2019, Venezuela).
Her royal court is comprised of Miss Grand Philippines Samantha Mae Bernardo (1st runner-up), Miss Grand Guatemala Ivana Batchelor (2nd runner-up), Miss Grand Indonesia Aurra Kharishma (3rd runner-up), and Miss Grand Brazil Lala Guedes (4th runner-up).
All of these ladies will be staying behind in Thailand for a few weeks more, through the invitation of MGI president Nawat Itsaragrisil, and help in promoting Thai tourism efforts before flying home to their respective home countries.
The Top 3 delegates tied in the final round of the competition, so the organizers decided to break it with another question. They were asked if only a single vial of the vaccine was left, to whom would they give it: to a 15-year-old or a 70-year-old.
Abena and Ivana chose the younger option, while Sam chose the older person.
63 candidates competed in this year’s pageant.
The finals night was held in Bangkok, Thailand. Hosted by Matthew Dean, the 8th edition of the pageant was beamed live to a global audience through the Grand TV YouTube channel and its Facebook Live coverage.
Like the Miss Universe, MGI will also have a 2021 pageant. “Yes! The current contest corresponds to the 2020 edition, delayed by the pandemic. We will have Miss Grand International 2021 by November or December,” declared Mr. Nawat.