Miss Universe 2018 Results: The Factors that Contributed to Catriona Gray’s Fiery Domination

The Miss Universe 2018 results are in and the Philippines has yet again managed to bring home the coveted crown merely three years after Pia Wurtzbach​ won it for the country. This time, it was Catriona Gray who successfully took the prestigious title, besting 93 hopeful candidates in the process. The 24-year-old Choi Kwang Do black belt succeeded last year’s winner Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa and became the fourth Filipina to bring home the crown.

But even before Catriona Gray propelled herself to stardom in the pageant world, she already has a few prominent titles under her belt. She won the Miss World Philippines in 2016 and tried her hand at the Miss World pageant where she finished in the top five. The martial artist was even involved in the pageant industry as far back as 1999 where she was crowned Little Miss Philippines-Sydney of that year. All of these experience culminated in the Miss Universe 2018 results where she won in such fiery fashion.

There are multiple factors that contributed to Catriona Gray’s success and the biggest of these is the Filipina’s intelligence. Both the questions given to her holds a lot of weight for the martial artist since drugs and poverty are among the problems that continue to plague her country. The Albay native’s answer to poverty was inspiring, while she addressed the drug problems in a concise manner that went straight to her point. The crowd was roaring in delight as Catriona Gray showcased her brilliance with the judges ultimately agreeing she should come out on top in the Miss Universe 2018 results.

Apart from being a pageant veteran, Catriona Gray also has varying layers to her personality and talents. She’s a trained musician who went to Berklee College of Music in Boston and earned a master’s certificate in music theory. She’s an accomplished painter who has sold several of her work in an attempt to raise funds for her charity, the Paraiso Bright Beginnings Project. And she’s also actively trying to solve the poverty that is running rampant in the country, with her work mostly focusing on the slums of Tondo, Manila. With such varying talents under her arsenal, it comes to no surprise that the Miss Universe 2018 result favored the 24-year-old Filipina.

But there are other elements surrounding Catriona Gray that also contributed to her success and her gown is perhaps the most prominent of this. Burning and elegant, the piece is the work of gown designer Mak Tumang. The color and design are said to represent the Mayon Volcano that is to be found in Gray’s hometown. Apart from this, however, the fiery shade also completes the colors found in the Philippines' flag, with the other three worn by Gray’s predecessors. Gloria Diaz’s gown was yellow, Margarita Moran’s was white, and Pia Wurtzbach's was blue. It goes without saying that Filipinos are beaming with pride at the moment as Catriona Gray dominated the top spot of the Miss Universe 2018 results.