She is the former Miss Universe and the fourth Filipina to hold the crown. Catriona Gray discusses her unconventional entry into the world of pageantry and how she intends to be recognised as a queen with a purpose. She is proud to be able to serve her country in the best way she can.
Most ladies worldwide consider winning Miss Universe to be “the” dream. Only a select few people will ever have the opportunity to don the renowned crown. Among 93 beauty queens worldwide, Miss Philippines Catriona Gray was chosen as Miss Universe 2018. After winning the competition, Catriona Gray—a Filipina model, TV personality, stage actor, and singer—paid homage to the Philippine Mayon Volcano while wearing a brilliant Crimson gown. “Honey, I dreamed of you are winning Miss Universe in a red outfit,” my mother told me when I was 13 years old, and today, my mother’s wish came true, the contestant said.
It has been an incredible privilege to wear your name over my chest and represent you in every way, The Philippines. The 24-year-old beauty is the fourth Miss Philippines to win the Miss Universe Crown in the pageant’s history. “I may now bear the sash of Miss Universe, but I’ll forever be your Miss Philippines,” she declared. On January 6, 1994, Catriona Elisa Magnayon Gray was born in Cairns, Australia. Australian-born father Ian Gray is of Scottish descent. Filipino mother Normita Ragas Magnayonis from Oas, Albay. She has two nationalities. It’s interesting to note that Little Catriona, then five years old, had already received the title of “Little Miss Philippines 1999.”
In Cairns, Catriona attended Trinity Anglican School. She relocated to the United States to study music at Boston, Massachusetts’ Berklee College of Music. Catriona obtained a certificate in music theory. Later, she earned a black belt in Choi Kwang-Do martial arts and a Certificate in Outdoor Recreation. Catriona won Miss World Philippines 2016 despite being warned she wasn’t “Filipina or ferocious enough” to compete in the national competition. As a result, she was eligible to compete in the Miss World competition, which she ultimately lost to Stephanie Del Valle of Puerto Rico.
“To be a Miss World is to be passed a torch that burns with passion and purpose. Suppose I am to become Miss World Philippines. In that case, I will dedicate my voice and essence to carrying that torch and setting charitable causes alight, such as my advocacy, the Paraiso Bright Beginnings Project. And I would focus on passing on this torch to empower others because I believe together there is no darkness in this world that our light cannot overcome.”
But she decided to fight back even more determinedly than before. In May 2017, Catriona began competing in Binibining Pilipinas, the most significant national beauty pageant in the Philippines, and she also started preparing for the next Miss World competition. She participated in weekly classes for the passerelle walk and public speaking under the direction of Carlos Buendia Jr. As a result, Catriona felt confident enough to return to the runway and turn in her application at the Binibining Pilipinas office in the Araneta Center, formally enrolling her in the 2018 national pageant.
In an interview, she said, “I just constantly tell myself that I should be the only one to define my worth, what I’m capable of, and how I perceive myself. And that I should never source that worth from other people, especially strangers, on social media. They don’t know who I am, the length of my journey, who I am as a person.”
“I think we are moving to where we are celebrated for our character, inside, and wit. I think that’s the direction we should go because that defines you as a person, not a number on a scale.”
“To see that I have this huge platform now, and so many people are listening to what I have to say, it makes me want to orientate toward something that would educate people, create awareness, do something more than just show them a cute outfit or what I’m having for lunch.”
And even before she was named queen, Catriona was inspiring many people in her nation through her involvement with numerous charity organisations.
To support those efforts, even more, she competed in the Miss Universe pageant, which ultimately helped her win the prize: the world.
She has never been your traditional beauty queen, but she has always led a purposeful life and still does. Catriona Gray’s narrative exemplifies the importance of being true to oneself and how it can help anyone take over the world, from growing up in an immigrant home to challenging expectations about “beauty” in the pageant world.
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