GROUP 1 – BOLIVIA, BRAZIL, COSTA RICA, MOZAMBIQUE, PANAMA, PORTUGAL

BOLIVIA – Stephanie Terrazas. In case you’re still reeling from Camila Sanabria’s pullout, don’t fret. Her replacement is just as promising. This Cochabamba bombshell looks like Glee’s Lea Michele with straight hair and Alanis Morissette when in curls. Too bad Miss Earth still hasn’t expanded its age limit, as her platform would also have been a fit there.

BRAZIL – Sancler Frantz. At 32, this doctor enters the Supra-Race as the most seasoned and accomplished entrant. Fans will never forget how she entered Miss World 10 years ago as Megan Young’s biggest threat, only to settle with a Top Six finish. She also managed to take a shot at Miss Universe Brazil five years later, but was eliminated even before nationals. Back then, it certainly felt like an anticlimactic final bow, as she was already in her late twenties. Then came Miss Supranational’s biggest twist and, lo and behold, she’s back in pageantry.

During her SupraChat challenge, she had no qualms addressing the obvious. “I am not my age. I am a woman”, she declared. Now, given both her performance in that round and her decade-spanning track record, she unsurprisingly emerged as this group’s winner. Aside from that, she’s also up for the Supra-Influencer fast track. 

So, can she finally claim what eluded her 10 years ago? Well, it’s a steeper hill, but it’s still climbable.

COSTA RICA – Margaret Gray. As her country’s first Supra-candidate of color, she leaves a solid impression. In her Supra-Chat challenge, she pulled heartstrings when she shared why she shifted to the medical field. Clearly, her heart is in the right place. She most probably placed second to Brazil in this group.

MOZAMBIQUE – Suema Abdul Rachid. She debuted her Lusophone country in Miss Grand International 2022 and is now here to do the same. Her Supra-Chat responses may underwhelm, but her Fan Vote placement might just earn her a shot. Who knows? An African won that last year.  

PANAMA – Jillyan Chue. This social communications graduate participated in the second virtual edition of Miss Earth in 2021. She’s a solid and fashionable performer who answers with depth but will likely replicate her previous finish.

PORTUGAL – Elodie Lopes. France may be missing in action this year, but two candidates can easily represent the country via proxy – whether by lineage or by residence. First is this Paris-based Business Administration graduate, who sounds more French than Portuguese. Her pretty face might earn attention, but there are others who conduct themselves with more spark.

GROUP 2 – BELGIUM, GERMANY, GIBRALTAR, GREECE, ICELAND, NETHERLANDS, ROMANIA

BELGIUM – Jana Meskens.  Following Albania’s withdrawal, this country now alphabetically heads the pack. This motivated young businesswoman highlighted her resilience in her SupraChat challenge. She’s lovely and earnest, but there are stunners with far more energy.

GERMANY – Maria Ignat. Given how her non-placing predecessor fared in Miss International last year (ICYMI, she won), maybe they can give this one a shot. This Frankfurt-based law student is a charismatic contender, who wore one of the most daring preliminary gowns in recent history. Hint: It makes Miss Universe Japan 2003 Miyako Miyazaki‘s iconic gown-kini look tame in comparison.

GIBRALTAR – Michelle Lopez Desoisa. Her mother is Tatiana Desoiza, who represented their British territory in Miss World 1988 and Miss Universe 1989. This tiny corner of Europe rarely sends contenders, and this aspiring teacher appears to have some edge. Perhaps they can afford her a slot? 

GREECE – Maria Cholidou. This law student has the looks and the smarts, but so far, a Greek resurgence is not foreseen.

ICELAND – Ísabella Porvaldsdóttir. She’s the third law student of the group, but her Supra-Chat highlight was when she talked about being a kidney recipient at the age of three. She also qualified for the Talent finals, though it’s unclear if they’re inclined to award back-to-back ballerinas.  

NETHERLANDS – Luna-Isabella Stienstra. In choice angles, this dental assistant resembles reigning Miss Universe, R’Bonney Gabriel. She was also quite the charmer in SupraChat challenge, where she talked about helping multi-cultural children gain confidence. Not surprising, since she’s half-Indonesian. That might also help, given how the system favors that country.

ROMANIA – Ioana-Izabela Hotaran. Her country’s track record partly explains her easy Supra-Chat placement. But with more favorites emerging, she seems to be disappearing into the pack overall. Much as she has the fighting chance, sustaining the streak won’t be as easy.

GROUP 3 – CAMBODIA, INDIA, MALAYSIA, NEPAL, THAILAND, TÜRKIYE, VIETNAM

CAMBODIA – Chily Tevy. Two years after her Miss Grand International Top 20 placement, she’s now trying her luck here. As her country’s sophomore Supra-entry, her MGI stylings are still very evident. She still has a fair shot, granted they qualify enough Indochinese bets, because the sub-region sure came in strong.

INDIA – Pragnya Ayyagari. Given her country’s Supranational track record, it makes sense that she overtook the ASEAN powerhouses in this group. This Disney-quoting damsel has the allure and fluency we’ve come to expect from Indian contenders, and she also qualified in Talent. Making the cut’s already set in stone, thanks in part to her Supra-Chat placement. It’s her Top Five prospects that are make-or-break.         

MALAYSIA – Diedre Walker. This doe-eyed biracial beauty dedicates her pageant journey to her mother, who succumbed to breast cancer last year. Even without her Supra-Model and Supra Fan Vote citations, she has the looks and eloquence to equal – maybe even surpass – last year’s placement. It’s curious why she didn’t opt to showcase her fire-eating skills as her Talent entry. Then again, that wouldn’t have been a good idea since the finals were held indoors.

NEPAL – Sama Parajuli. Given how Nepal has been gaining ground in other pageants, it’s nice to see it catching up here. This dentistry student’s their most viable bet yet, though a breakthrough is not yet assured. 

THAILAND – Patraporn Wang. Anntonia Porsild’s ongoing Miss Universe Thailand bid may be raising eyebrows, but let’s set that debate aside for now. Interestingly, this half-Taiwanese catwalk diva was a global winner herself. She was Miss Intercontinental 2014, before gaining more fans as a frequent MUT aspirant. Given her rough recent stint, seeing her here does excite. Even without her Supra-Model of Asia citation, she’ll likely continue the streak.

TÜRKIYE – Selin Erberk Gürdikyan. She’s half-Armenian, which explains her surname and Florida-based, which explains her twang. While not as favored as her unplaced predecessor, this pre-med student and proud triplet has charm to spare. She can plausibly salvage points through interview.    

VIETNAM –  Ngân Dang Thanh. While she probably won’t surpass Kim Duyen’s third place finish, her country may still count on a streak. As a Miss Supra-Influencer and Supra-Fan Vote finalist, she’s now up for instant placement. Her strong projection skills might also help.