Antigua and Barbuda’s Queen of Carnival 2019, Shannakisha Francis, is hoping to dazzle her way to the top in the 48th Miss Intercontinental Pageant by “showcasing her beauty, intellect, charm and physical fitness”.
Francis’ Chaperone and Pageant Coach, Ckhuerckh Vhann-Kellte told OBSERVER media that the reigning Queen is more than capable of winning the crown.
“Undoubtedly, Shannakisha has the ability to perform. She is a person of the stage. Not only is she a singer but she is also a versed dancer and actress and I know these are attributes that will shine through at competition that she is entered into,” Vhann-Kellte said.
He also said that the international pageant, which is being held in Egypt from December 5th to 21st, 2019, will set the stage for bigger competitions.
“We see this as a platform for Shannikisha for future international pageants. We know of her exceptional vocal abilities and, hopefully, she will be able to demonstrate that to the rest of the world when she competes in the Miss World competition hopefully next year. We also have our eyes set on Miss Universe next year as well,” he added.
And, according to the Pageant extraordinaire, Francis is currently undergoing intense training to prepare her for the stage.
“So far, we are in the preparatory stages of getting her ready for this competition. Last year, Ashley Boodhoo represented us and it provided me with an opportunity to see what this international pageant entailed so that our next delegate could be even more prepared to be in a better position to be the top delegate within her region and ultimately be one of the top 5 delegates,” Vhann-Kellte said.
Francis will be competing against 94 other delegates from around the world and to excel into the semifinals. She will be required to participate in a closed-door interview, swimsuit segment, evening gown segment and a number of photoshoots which on which she will also be evaluated on, her coach explained.
He said that once the judges tally the scores, they will announce the top 20, which is categorised by regions.
Vhann-Kellte continued saying, “that is our aim to get to the top 20 and then hopefully make it into the top 5 where she will emerge the winner of her region and then ultimately that final question.”
The 48th edition of Miss Intercontinental aims for an excellent show and “high class” entertainment where delegates will compete and prove their worth perfect role models for the younger generation. The ultimate goal is to crown a delegate who is a true combination of intelligence and beauty.