Ni ROBERT R. REQUINTINA

PATULOY na namamayagpag ang Pilipinas bilang pageant powerhouse sa pagkakapanalo ni Katrina Rodriguez bilang 1st runner-up sa Miss Intercontinental 2017 beauty pageant na ginanap sa Egypt nitong Miyerkules.

Si Veronia Salas Vallejo ng Mexico ang kinoronahang Miss Intercontinental 2017.

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Ang iba pang mga nagwagi ay sina Catherlijne Heppenhuis, Netherlands, 2nd runner-up; Amanda Cardoso, Brazil, 3rd runner-up; Lizeth Mendieta, Colombia, 4th runner-up; at Lee Su Jin, Korea, 5th runner-up.

Kailanman ay hindi pa naiuwi ng Pilipinas ang korona sa naturang international competition. Noong 2015, nagwagi rin si Christi McGarry bilang first-runner up sa kaparehas na timpalak.

Si Katrina ang huli sa reigning batch ng Bb. Pilipinas beauty queens na nakipagtunggali sa international pageants.

Ang iba pang mga Binibini na nagwagi sa ibang bansa ay sina Elizabeth Clenci na naging 2nd runner-up sa Miss Grand

International pageant at si Nelda Ibe, 1st runner-up sa Miss Globe.

Nagtapos si Rodriguez, 24, ng kursong Business Management and Philosophy sa De La Salle University sa Taft Avenue sa Manila.

Bukod sa pagbabasa at modelling, cycling instructor ang 5’5 beauty queen at long distance runner.

Bago siya pumasok sa mundo ng pageants, nakilala si Katrina nang mapanood sa telebisyon at maging runner-up sa Asia’s Next Top Model Cycle 2 noong 2014. Nagwagi rin siya bilang MTV video jockey at nasa ilalim ng pamamahala ng Viva Artists Agency.

Ilang araw bago ginanap ang finals ng international pageant, pinasalamatan ni Katrina ang kanyang supporters sa social media.

“Philippines! I know that the voting has not been working and for me specifically, but please do not give up hope on me or Miss Intercontinental;

“Instead just pray to Papa Jesus that I win what I came here for, the crown. I know everyone wants to vote and is frustrated that they cannot vote, but let us remember by grace through faith and that being negative no matter how heavy a feeling we have will help us triumph;

“Please pray with me and I will do my best here to perform for you, our country and God. Thank you so much for your passion, but let us keep positive. With all the gratitude in this universe, thank you,” aniya sa Instagram.

Tinutukoy ni Rodriguez ang hacking incident sa Miss Intercontinental pageant website sa kasagsagan ng pagboto online para sa mga kandidata. Isinara rin ito kaagad.

Pumangatlo ang Filipina beauty queen sa online voting na mayroong 2,213 boto. Nanguna naman si Miss Korea sa online voting na mayroong 3,638 boto at si Miss Indonesia ang pumangalawa na mayroong 3,635 boto.

“Due to renewed massive hacking attempts of the voting we were forced to end the voting prematurely. We regret that people try to manipulate the election in such a way and congratulate the 3 winners and Korea to enter to the Top 6 as Miss Sunrise Resorts 2017,” pahayag ng mga organizer ng pageant sa kanilang website.

May kabuuang 68 kandidata ang nagtunggali sa 46th Miss Intercontinental beauty pageant ngayong taon.