#10 – Ileana Marquez Perdroza (Venezuela/Universe). When the old rules were still in place, her dream ended before it began. She became a mom at 16, just two years shy of Miss Universe’s minimum age requirement. But now with those barriers gone, she made history anew for her pageant-crazed nation, with a milestone that transcends any tally. Even before setting foot in Mexico, she was already an icon and, consequently, a frontrunner.

Imagine the shockwaves had fortunes only favored her, and it’s not just because it would have been Crown #8. It would’ve diffused any notion that the organization was merely using inclusivity as a marketing ploy.

4th Runner-Up feels like a lost opportunity, more so when her answer wasn’t really the weakest. But then, she’ll still be remembered as the Venezuelan Mom who Slayed and, moreover, taught purists that tweaking traditions can still bring us gems. And, besides, what’s to stop her daughter from following her footsteps in six years’ time?  

#9 – Yasmina Zaytoun (Lebanon/World). Her Head to Head win was already an achievement unlocked. Just a year prior, she added to a long line of Lebanese stunners who fell short in ending the Miss Universe placement drought, one that continues to this day. With said Challenge win in India, the vindication only but began. And why stop there? 

Come coronation night, she only continued to shine, as she survived the brutal cut from 40 to 12. From there, her heartfelt appeals for peace moved the powers-that-be by the minute. And, in the shock of all shocks, she edged out the host delegate as the last Asian standing and outran two pre-pageant favorites to the final two. 

The resurgence couldn’t be more emblematic, given that she was born a month after her country’s last major win (paging Miss International 2002, Christina Sawaya). Ergo, her countrymen simply had to wait for her to grow up. And given her Palestinian lineage, it also couldn’t get more timely.  

#8 – Harashta Haifa Zafra (Indonesia/Supranational). For years, the country shared with Venezuela the distinction of most Miss Supranational Top Five finalists with no crown. Enter this environmental engineering student, who was the second West Java native in a row to win Puteri Indonesia, and the tie was bound to break. Little did everyone know she was destined for a bigger milestone.

As the first Indonesian to finally win the Supra-Crown, she effectively widened Asia’s lead in said pageant. Couple that with their Miss Cosmo win, and they’re one of the ASEAN stalwarts now, more than ever. 

#7 – Chidimma Adetshina (Nigeria/Universe). A redemption story, if there ever was one, and there’s no use dwelling on those citizenship disputes now. Point is, it was the Giant of Africa’s gain. In resuming her pursuit in her father’s homeland, vindication was clearly underway.

Scoring Nigeria’s third placement was never perceived to be difficult. Yet that didn’t inhibit this law student from pulling off more surprises, as she survived one cut after the other and outlasted her continent’s hyped veterans. As she wound up locking hands with the eventual winner, history had already been made. It was the country’s highest in the pageant to date. And seeing her as the only runner-up to actually be bestowed with a continental title, the message was strong. The judges were always sure about her. 

#6 – Justýna Zednikova (Czech Republic/Supranational). She was supposed to be next-in-line to the then-newly-crowned Miss World, who could pass as her twin upon first glance. But seeing, perhaps, that the chances of a back-to-back are rather slim (it happens, but rare), this model opted for Małowpowska instead.

For a while, Czechia’s first Supra-crown really did feel within reach. But with the judges inclined for another prototype, it ended up with Asia yet again. It’s not to say that the gamble was in vain, because she did end up with a tiara – the 2nd Runner-Up’s, that is.Still, by reaching that far in her country’s best ever year in pageant history, she was every means part of that glory.