A 19-year-old model and bartender from Australia won the first Mister Grand International during a pageant held in Quezon City Saturday.
Michael Angelo Skyllas edged out 24 other international contestants for the title that promotes sports.
First runner-up honors went to Ratchada hamphanon of Thailand. He was followed by 2nd Runner-Up Nguyen Tien Dat, Vietnam, 2nd runner-up; Hammid Noor, Germany, 3rd runner-up; and Joshua Reginald P. Banatin, Philippines, 4th runner-up.
Candidates from Spain and the Dominican Republic rounded up the Top 7 contestants.
Winners of fast-track events who automatically qualified for the Top 15 semi-finalists were: Social Icon, Nepal; Talent, Ecuador; Best Speaker, USA; Online Voting Star, Nepal; Sports Icon, The Dominican Republic; Fashion Icon, Thailand; and Best in Swimwear, Vietnam.
Other delegates in the semis were contestants from France, Peru, Malaysia, Japan, and Sri Lanka.
Skyllas has earlier expressed his intentions to pursue a career in the Philippines.
Mark Gil Balisacan, president of the Mister Grand International Organization, said that the international pageant focuses on the importance of sports and how it plays a major role in every country.
Balisacan also explained that organizers of the Mister Grand International pageant are not in anyway related to Miss Grand International which focuses on campaign against war.
“Sports-themed activities is the main staple of Mister Grand International pageant,” said Balisacan. (Robert R. Requintina)
