Asia

Guatemala’s Ivana Batchelor crowned Miss Grand International 2020 second runner-up in Bangkok, Thailand

Ivana Batchelor (©Miss Grand International)

Ivana Batchelor (©Miss Grand International)

Representing Guatemala, Ivana Batchelor almost won Miss Grand International 2020. She was second runner-up.

Batchelor is a pianist and a professional dancer. She also works as a translator for English and Spanish languages.

On March 16, 2020, Batchelor was crowned Miss Grand Guatemala 2020. Including her, a total of 63 candidates competed for the Miss Grand International 2020 title.

It was Abena Appiah, 27, of the United States who won the Miss Grand International 2020 title. She is the first woman crowned in a major international beauty pageant amid the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2021.

Samantha Bernardo, 27, of of the Philippines was first runner-up. Aurra Kharishma, 20, of Indonesia was third runner-up while Lala Guedes, 27, of Brazil was fourth runner-up.

The Top 5 finalists were asked the same question in the question-and-answer portion. There asked to choose between shutting down the country for the safety of the people knowing that the country’s and its economy will be deeply affected or opening up the country to keep the economy running taking the risk of COVID-19 infections and the consequences.

“Nothing in this world has more value than a human life,” Batchelor answered. “Without hesitation, I would choose to shutdown the country. Without its people, the economy is useless. If we come together and care for one another and we work hard nothing can ever stop us, not a pandemic, not a war, nothing. Because us humans, together, are resilient.”

Hosted by Matthew Deane, the Miss Grand International 2020 coronation night took place at the SHOW DC in Bangkok, Thailand on the evening of March 27, 2021. It is the eighth edition of the international beauty pageant, which made its debut in 2013 and is based in Thailand.

Five former Miss Grand International titleholders served as the judges. They were Janelee Chaparro of Puerto Rico, Daryanne Lees of Cuba, Ariska Putri Pertiwi of Indonesia, Maria Jose Lara of Peru and Clara Sosa of Paraguay, who were crowned in 2013, in 2014, in 2016, in 2017 and in 2018, respectively.

Guedes also won Best in Swimsuit while Angela Yuriar, 19, of Mexico was Best in Evening Gown. Batchelor, Ruri Saji, 25, of Japan and Patcharaporn Chantarapadit of Thailand all won Best in National Costume, marking the first time the award was given to three candidates in the competition.

Chivly Liv, 22, of Cambodia was Country’s Choice of the Year giving her an automatic spot in the Top 20. Jasebel Robert, 25, of Malaysia won the Miss Popular Vote Award, which put her in the Top 10.

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