From The Straits Times    |

Image: MissUniverseSingapore.sg

With the registration deadline for Miss Universe Singapore 2017 extended till Friday, The New Paper spoke to more applicants who are giving the national beauty pageant a shot.

 

Rudihra Ramathas

Image: TheNewPaper

 

The 26-year-old pricing analyst (above) is taking part in Miss Universe Singapore (MUS) this year to showcase her versatility and confidence.

Miss Rudihra Ramathas got into modelling last year and it was something she did for fun on the weekends.

But now, she wants to push herself further.

She told The New Paper: “For modelling, you can’t translate confidence so well because it is mostly photo shoots. But for beauty pageants, everything is live and spontaneous.”

The Australian National University business administration graduate, who also has a master’s in accounting from RMIT University in Melbourne, is just as interested in fitness as she is in finance.

To maintain a healthy lifestyle, Miss Ramathas brings lunch to work so she can hit the gym for an hour during her lunch break.

Being physically active does not end there as she is also into dancing, exploring various forms such as ballet, salsa and hip-hop.

Despite being a pageant newbie, she has high hopes for herself. Said Miss Ramathas: “I want to inspire young women to feel comfortable in their own skin and accept themselves… and also prove that women of colour can confidently put themselves out there and showcase their talents.”

 

 

Tessa Nathalia Hogan

Image: TheNewPaper

 

Miss Tessa Nathalia Hogan, 25, also has a thing for numbers. She graduated from SIM-RMIT University with a bachelor’s in business management and works as a priority banker.

With an appreciation for the outdoors, she enjoys swimming and in-line skating. Her talents include cooking and baking.

But Miss Hogan is no stranger to modelling competitions.

She was in the top five for Miss Teen Singapore Sweetheart in 2007, won the SIM-RMIT school pageant in 2012 and was a The New Paper New Face finalist in 2010.

She told TNP: “I’ve always been interested in taking part in these competitions because I get to show who I am.”

She is grateful for her New Face experience as it helped her prepare for MUS.

She said: “I have gained valuable skills from training in New Face and over the years, I’ve developed a sense of maturity too.

“I also feel like 25 is the prime age for me to compete.”

She hopes the MUS experience can help her become an improved version of herself.

“Everyone may have confidence, but for me, I will persevere till the end and I am not someone who will give up even when times are tough,” said Miss Hogan.

 

Rebecca Ang

Image: TheNewPaper

 

Miss Rebecca Ang, a 26-year-old forex account manager, is a diehard foodie who can eat up to three bowls of ricein one sitting.

Once, she even ate five bowls of noodles in a single meal.

Miss Ang told TNP: “I love to eat, so whenever I feel like it, I have to eat, no matter what.”

But she balances out her carb-heavy diet by going for runs or lifting weights once or twice a week for an hour to 90 minutes.

Having participated in SingTel Grid Girls a few years agoto check it off her bucket list, she is joining MUS this year for a different purpose.

She said: “It is all about competing for a cause and standing up for something I’m passionate about.

“I believe in gender equality and that women are as capable as men in the workforce. Being in the finance industry, which is dominated by men, I know that women have much more to prove at work.”

The SIM-RMIT marketing graduate thinks her height – 1.72m – and looks will help her stand out.

Miss Ang said: “People usually can’t tell where I am from and think I look mixed. Besides that, I also know how to handle myself in public.”

 

Article first published on TheNewPaper