Introduction:
If you are a fan of beauty pageants, you may have heard of the term “El Tocuyo Award”. This is an unofficial award given to the contestants who are considered as frontrunners or favorites during the pre-pageant activities, but fail to make it to the first cut or the top 16 in the final night. The award is named after the hometown of Mariam Habach, Miss Venezuela 2015, who was widely expected to be a strong contender for the Miss Universe 2016 crown, but shockingly did not advance to the semifinals.
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Miss El Tocuyo Award:
The El Tocuyo Award is not an official recognition by the Miss Universe Organization, but rather a fan-made term to express their disappointment or disbelief over the results. Some fans also use the term as a way of honoring the candidates who they think deserved better or showed their best performance, but were overlooked by the judges. The award is given because the judges thought an entrant’s performance, which she considered her best, seemed just okay to them.
Miss El Tocuyo Award Winners From 2016-2023:
Since its inception in 2016, the El Tocuyo Award has been given to several contestants from different countries and continents. Here are some of the notable winners of the El Tocuyo Award in the past editions of Miss Universe:
(1) 2016: Mariam Habach, Venezuela –
The founder of the El Tocuyo Award, Mariam Habach was a dentist and model who won Miss Venezuela 2015. She was praised for her stunning beauty, elegance, and intelligence, and was considered as one of the top favorites to win Miss Universe 2016, which was held in Manila, Philippines. However, she failed to make it to the top 13, ending Venezuela’s 7-year streak of consecutive placements in the pageant.
(2) 2017: Denisse Franco, Mexico –
Denisse Franco was a medical student and model who won Nuestra Belleza México 2017. She was one of the most hyped candidates in Miss Universe 2017, which was held in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. She impressed many fans with her gorgeous face, charming personality, and fluent English. However, she did not make it to the top 16, breaking Mexico’s 8-year streak of consecutive placements in the pageant.
(3) 2018: Virginia Limongi, Ecuador –
Virginia Limongi was a model and environmental activist who won Miss Ecuador 2018. She was one of the most popular candidates in Miss Universe 2018, which was held in Bangkok, Thailand. She captivated many fans with her exotic beauty, fit body, and advocacy for nature conservation. However, she did not make it to the top 20, ending Ecuador’s 3-year streak of consecutive placements in the pageant.
(4) 2019: Mariana Varela, Argentina –
Mariana Varela was a model and social worker who won Miss Universe Argentina 2019. She was one of the most underrated candidates in Miss Universe 2019, which was held in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. She surprised many fans with her striking face, fierce attitude, and elegant styling. However, she did not make it to the top 20, extending Argentina’s drought of placements in the pageant since 2014.
(5) 2020: Natasha Joubert, South Africa –
Natasha Joubert was a model and fashion designer who won Miss Universe South Africa 2020. She was one of the most consistent candidates in Miss Universe 2020, which was held in Hollywood, Florida, United States. She wowed many fans with her stunning transformation, confident walk, and creative national costume. However, she did not make it to the top 21, ending South Africa’s 5-year streak of consecutive placements in the pageant.
(6) 2021: Sarah Loinaz, Spain –
Sarah Loinaz was a model and law student who won Miss Universe Spain 2021. She was one of the most promising candidates in Miss Universe 2021, which was held in Eilat, Israel. She charmed many fans with her beautiful face, sweet smile, and fluent Hebrew. However, she did not make it to the top 16, breaking Spain’s 3-year streak of consecutive placements in the pageant.
(7) 2022: Celeste Cortesi, Philippines –
Celeste Cortesi was a Filipino- Italian model and actress who won Miss Universe Philippines 2022. She was one of the most promising candidates in Miss Universe 2022, which was held in the New Orleans Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. She charmed many fans with her confidence and beautiful smile. However, she did not make it to the top 16, breaking Philippines’ 12-year streak of consecutive placements in the pageant from 2010 to 2021.
(8) 2023: Melissa Flores, Mexico –
Melissa Flores was a model and social & educational worker who won Miss Universe Mexico 2023. She was one of the most fan favorite and front runner candidates in Miss Universe 2023, which was held in the the Gimnasio Nacional José Adolfo Pineda in San Salvador, El Salvador. She wowed many fans with her charm and elegant aura. However, she did not make it to the top 20 despite of being Miss Earth Fire in 2018.
These are some of the winners of the El Tocuyo Award in Miss Universe.
Also read about “Erica Robin (Miss Universe Pakistan 2023): The First Pakistani Woman to Make History at Miss Universe“.