Over 70 candidates in Miss Grand International 2017 strutted their swimsuits during the preliminary round held by the poolside in Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam on October 17. A few days away from the coronation night, there were already some candidates who stood out as early favorites.
The contestants wore skimpy yellow-colored bikinis as they each showcased their curves and figures during the preliminary swimsuit round. One of the judges of the competition was Miss Grand International 2016 Ariska Putri Pertiwi from Indonesia.
The coronation night will be held on October 25 at Vinpearl Casino in Phu Quoc.
The final competition will also feature another swimsuit show, plus a runway show featuring evening gowns. The ladies will also be tested in a question-and-answer round.
The ladies arrived on the island of Phu Quoc from their stay in Quang Binh, another province in the Southeast Asian nation. They also recently explored around Vinpearl Land Amusement Park and had an encounter with some of the local animals at Vinpearl Safari.
Indonesia’s back-to-back victory
Indonesia’s representative Dea Rizkita is eyeing for the crown especially that her country has been performing well in this year’s edition of the pageant, The Jakarta Post reported. If she wins, it will be a back-to-back victory for Indonesia after winning in the competition last year.
So far, Rizkita has been part of the top finalists of the major events in the pageant such as the Top Official Portraits, Top Five On Arrival and Best National Costume. Her national costume was a long dress that featured a miniature three-dimensional design of buildings and skyscrapers.
Dubbed as “Motherland,” the costume depicted the country’s maritime, the report added.
She joins candidates from Malaysia, Vietnam, Peru, and Ecuador as the ladies with the best official portraits.
National costume
The national costume competition was earlier held at Sun Spa Resort in Quang Binh, the second official host location of the pageant. The girls came in various costume designs, from traditional creations to modern collections.
A total of 15 finalists have been selected to vie for the Best National Costume award after a worldwide online voting by the fans. Among the finalists are Nguyen Huyen My from Vietnam, Khloem Sreykea from Cambodia, Elizabeth Clenci from the Philippines, and Chinnaly Norasing from Laos.
Also included in the list are Malaysia’s Sanjeda John, Peru’s Maria Jose Lora, Paraguay’s Leah Ashmore, Myanmar’s Aye Chan Moe, and Thailand’s Premika Pamela. The candidates from Ecuador, India, Argentina, Nicaragua, and Spain also made it through.