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Brathwaite makes it to Miss World Top 40; Wins Sports Challenge!

- Miss World BVI Rikkiya A.R. Brathwaite proves the fittest against more than 30 contestants
Miss World BVI 2019, Rikkiya A.R. Brathwaite, centre, won the title of Miss World 2019 Top Sports Woman in London today, November 28, 2019. Photo: Provided
Over 30 contestants competed in the Miss World 2019 Sports Challenge as part of four teams – Red Team, Green Team, Yellow Team and Blue Team. Miss World BVI, Rikkiya A. R. Brathwaite was part of the Green Team. Photo: Provided
Over 30 contestants competed in the Miss World 2019 Sports Challenge as part of four teams – Red Team, Green Team, Yellow Team and Blue Team. Miss World BVI, Rikkiya A. R. Brathwaite was part of the Green Team. Photo: Provided
The Miss World BVI Committee is encouraging the territory to continue supporting Rikkiya A. R. Brathwaite by commenting, sharing and voting for the BVI on all official social media uploads on the Miss World Organisation social media pages and by downloading the MobStar App free of charge. Photo: Provided
The Miss World BVI Committee is encouraging the territory to continue supporting Rikkiya A. R. Brathwaite by commenting, sharing and voting for the BVI on all official social media uploads on the Miss World Organisation social media pages and by downloading the MobStar App free of charge. Photo: Provided
LONDON, England, UK- For the first time the [British] Virgin Islands has made it to the Top 40 of the Miss World Pageant.

According to a press release from the Miss World BVI Committee, the announcement came from London, United Kingdom, where the 2019 Sports Challenge competition was held today, November 28, 2019

The day of the Sports Challenge is referred to as Miss World’s International Sports Day, and the competition features various grueling physical activities that the Organisation said is designed to unveil which contestant is fastest, and strongest. 

Miss World BVI 2019, Rikkiya A.R. Brathwaite emerged victorious and won the title of Miss World 2019 Top Sports Woman.

The final tally saw Miss World Nigeria coming in second place and Miss World Trinidad and Tobago in third place. 

Over 30 contestants competed in the Sports Challenge as part of four teams – Red Team, Green Team, Yellow Team and Blue Team. Miss World BVI was part of the Green Team.

In order to qualify for the Sports Challenge and given the privilege of representing their team, contestants had to participate in the dreaded Bleep test. The bleep test is a multi-stage fitness test in which the contestants complete 20 meter shuttle runs in time with the bleeps until the bleeps get too quick for them. In describing the test, the Miss World Organisation said, “it might look easy but this is a maximal test which is designed to really push their fitness limits.”

‘I come from a Territory with a competitive heart’

Following the announcement of her win, Brathwaite told the Miss World BVI Committee, “I’m honestly very overwhelmed. I’m not an athlete by any means! I gave up track and field at the age of seven for ballet shoes and a stage, but I come from a very athletic family so it must still be somewhere in my DNA. I am just truly grateful to come from a Territory with a competitive heart when it comes to sports.”

She said that she is being fueled by Territorial pride as she embarks on the various challenges. “Entering each event, I carried the notion that the BVI maybe small, and may not be easily recognised in a competition with 130 girls, but we have an enormous and resilient heart; and that notion gave me the confidence to compete only for the number one spot! Because the BVI is number one in my heart.”

Some of the other participating countries in the Sports Challenge were: Angola, Cook Islands, Equatorial Guinea, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Luxembourg, Moldova, Panama, Canada, England, France, Japan, Sierra Leone, Aruba, Belarus, Costa Rica, Georgia, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine, USA, Honduras, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Northern Ireland, Portugal, Scotland, Spain, and Uganda.

Miss World BVI Committee’s Social Media Manager Kadia K. Turnbull announced that this is an added incentive for the Territory to rally behind Rikkiya. Turnbull said, “The MWBVI committee encourages the country to continue supporting Rikkiya by commenting, sharing and voting for BVI's on all official social media uploads on the Miss World Organisation social media pages and by downloading the MobStar App free of charge.”

19 Responses to “Brathwaite makes it to Miss World Top 40; Wins Sports Challenge!”

  • gunit (28/11/2019, 12:43) Like (13) Dislike (0) Reply
    Nice Rikkiya!!! Congrats and give it your best effort. We are already proud of you.
    • Keep Shining (29/11/2019, 10:05) Like (1) Dislike (1) Reply
      Congrats to Miss Brathwaite!! I can recall that Sadie Winter also made the top 20 in a pageant (might have been Miss Universe) some years back. Great to see the BVI Shine.
  • Yesss! (28/11/2019, 13:24) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    wowowowowowo!
  • Xxx (28/11/2019, 13:52) Like (8) Dislike (1) Reply
    She is on her way to make us proud
  • Hmm (28/11/2019, 14:41) Like (6) Dislike (0) Reply
    awwe
  • Yesss! (28/11/2019, 14:47) Like (9) Dislike (0) Reply
    Congratulations! We are proud of you!
  • Wow!! (28/11/2019, 14:57) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply
    We small but we tallawah! Go Rikkiya and Go BVI. We will see you in London on the big stage amongst the world's top 40 most beautiful women.
  • guy hill (28/11/2019, 15:42) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    Always continue to do your very best. Be Brave.
  • Women of Power (28/11/2019, 16:55) Like (7) Dislike (6) Reply
    History for the BVI. This is great. Has any other young lady in the BVI made TOP 40 in this event? Or even won an entire section? I am asking Bloggers, so please enlighten me. If not, well now this lady definitely deserves the land and 30k just as Chantal Malone did, Just saying. Go Miss World BVI!
    • @Women of Power (30/11/2019, 08:09) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Lol. No. Rikkiya is the first to make a Top 40 at the Miss World and the first to actually win a fast track event. Some other Miss Worlds made finals in the talent event but didn’t win the segment (which is also a fast track) and didn’t make Top 40 in the pageant. Land, lol. Well seems it is in abundance so why not!
  • 2HMBPRZ (28/11/2019, 18:38) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    Greatness is within her!! Keep on going Rikkiyah; The best is yet to come!
  • facts (28/11/2019, 19:18) Like (7) Dislike (3) Reply
    and she is local a real tolain as both parents are from Here
  • Strupzzz (28/11/2019, 22:15) Like (2) Dislike (3) Reply
    Real tolian? I from here too!# expat parents
    • hmmmmmmmmmm (29/11/2019, 08:37) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
      don't hate your parents are not indigenous therefore you are not a real tolian
    • Tortorlian (29/11/2019, 08:58) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
      NO SHE'S NOT. BUT HAVE NOTHING TO DO CHEESE AND BUTTER. JUST BE HAPPY FOR WHO EVER IT IS..WEATHER FROM THE ISLAND OR WHERE EVER I KNOW SHE IS PROUD TO REPERSENT TORTOLA. GO AND PRAY.
      • @Tortolian (02/12/2019, 07:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
        Well where she from? She is indigenous. Both parents born here and her grandmother on her father’s side is a Dawson, here for a million years. She is if indigenous root. That’s a fact.
  • Thomas Rhett (15/07/2021, 14:39) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Brathwaite told the Miss World BVI Committee, "I'm really exceptionally overpowered. I'm not a competitor using any and all means! I surrendered olympic style sports at seven years old for artful dance shoes and a phase, yet I come from an extremely athletic family so it should in any case be some place in my DNA. I'm simply really thankful to come from a Territory with a cutthroat heart with regards to sports."
    Surprise Sports


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