The queen who is set to rule the hearts of the people has been crowned. Manuela Bruntraeger has been declared Miss Singapore 2017, with Rudihra Ramathas as the first runner-up and Emilbiany Intong as the second runner-up. Manuela will now represent the city-state in the major event, which will be held in Las Vegas in November.
The finale was held at Resorts World Sentosa Convention Centre, West Ballroom on Wednesday, October 11. It was jointly organised by The New Paper and Miss Universe Singapore organisation. The event was graced by the presence of numerous dignitaries.
The national beauty pageant is organized by Miss Universe Singapore Organisation and delegates who become a part of this organization, steps out to the world, influencing the lives of many and helping those in distress.
The contest is a platform for reflecting a sense of responsibility, the confidence required to bear the weight of the crown.
The contestants after months of hard toil and preparation set the stage ablaze with their might and intellect. Each one of the finalists stood strong against one another and mind you, no one was ready to give up easily on the crown, towards which the contestants toiled hard.
The theme for this year's Miss Universe is "Vie for a Beautiful Cause" that endorses a complete intellectual being, as the winner becomes an influential figure, an icon for many and an idol to whom people look up to.
This runway brings glory and stardom but the crown has its own share of responsibilities. Manuela definitely had her goals straight and so did the other finalists.
Nadiah Sapuan was declared BMW Miss Sporty Chic and Amanda Tan became 'The Urban Clinic Miss Urban'.
Bruntraeger, the 24-year-old Bachelor of Fine Arts from Lasalle College of Art, received the crown from Miss Singapore 2016, Cheryl Chou. Bruntraeger took home $10,000 in cash and prizes worth $45,000.
For Rudihra and Emilbiany , the titles of the first and second runner-up, respectively, came as a tough moment, making their hearts heavy but all in a good spirit. This title is not an easy thing to pull off.
Bruntraeger proved herself worthy of representing Singapore in the finals, in November. Overcoming each hurdle and challenges in the competition and qualifying swiftly to one round and the next, made her the sole torch bearer. She promptly reciprocated to the questions put forward by the judges- Miss Universe Singapore's National Director Nuraliza Osman, Murali Subramaniam, Deputy Managing Editor, English Malay Tamil Media, SPH; media personality Paul Foster and celebrity stylist Keith Png. Finalists were evaluated in swimwear, gown and question and answer segment.
The remaining finalists were not far behind in the race. It was a tough call for the judges as it was a neck to neck fight.
It is a huge boost indeed as now Bruntraeger can push herself more towards attaining the crown of Miss Universe 2017. This will be a huge liability. For Bruntraeger the road now leads to THE AXIS, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA where Iris Mittenaere, Miss Universe 2016 will pass on the crown to the next reigning queen. Her journey has just begun!
