The Tribune

THE roller coaster ride that took Chantel O’Brian through three Miss World Bahamas competitions, with the third time being a charm, is now making a stop at the international pageant stage.

In just a few short days, the reigning Bahamian beauty queen will compete for the title of Miss World.

The 65th edition of Miss World kicked off last month with the arrival of the first contestants in Sanya, China. The main event culminates on December 19 at the Beauty Crown Grand Theatre.

Speaking from China, Chantel said she is honoured and thrilled to be a part of the experience.

“I’m actually pretty excited. Being away from home for a month has made me homesick, definitely missing my mom and friends, but I’ve enjoyed every moment of this opportunity to make the presence of the Bahamas felt and I’m very proud of my stance in the competition,” she said.

Miss World national titleholders take part in charity projects within their respective communities and those projects are then presented at the pageant.

The winning project receives the “Beauty with a Purpose” award, which rewards many points towards the final score, however, it also awards $10,000 to the charity that the winner has been working alongside.

Chantel’s charity project was “Runway for Relief”, a fashion event which raised money for College of the Bahamas students whose families were significantly impacted by Hurricane Joaquin.

Chantel said her hopes are high going into the competition on Saturday.

“Competing against 100 plus women from around the world, you never know what the judges are thinking or who may have an edge. It’s all about being positive and doing your ultimate best to stand out and staying focused on the prize. So I’m simply enjoying the experience while at the same time doing my best to have my hard work noticed,” she told Tribune Woman.

After competing three years in a row, Chantel was crowned Miss World Bahamas earlier this year. The journey, she said, has been a “roller coaster of emotions” and one she would not have missed for the world.

While in China, Chantel along with the other contestants visited Sanya’s historic sites, as well as other Chinese islands such as Fuzhou and Zhuha.

“We’ve had a range of different things to be done – various competitions such as talent, where I made the top 30 with my choreographed dance piece by Kevvanna Hall, and sports day, a fashion show and having presentations of our ‘Beauty with a Purpose’,” she said.

The journey so far has brought Chantel many memorable moments, including being able to perform during the pageant’s “Dance of the World” segment to Julien Believe’s “Caribbean Slide”.

“The judges loved my performance so much that they saw it only right to invite Julien to perform. I’m looking forward to the Bahamas watching the show and feeling proud to see Bahamians leaving their mark for the world to see,” she said.

Julien Believe is expected to perform during the pageant on Saturday.