Interesting Facts About New Miss International 2014 Valerie Hernandez And Her Winning Question Details [SEE PHOTOS]
Puerto Rico has produced yet another beauty queen. Twenty one-year-old student and model Valerie Hernandez from Carolina, Puerto Rico has won the coveted title of Miss International 2014 by beating 72 other beauty queens at a gala event held at the Grand Prince Hotel Takanawa in Tokyo, Japan on Tuesday night. Here are some lesser known facts about the new beauty queen Valerie Hernandez:
1. Valerie is the second winner of the Miss International beauty contest from Puerto Rico. Laurie Simpson won the title of Miss International in 1987.
2. The model from Puerto Rico has also won Miss Teen International in 2012.
3. The gorgeous model was not the first choice to win the contest. She was chosen to represent her country at Miss International 2014 contest in Japan after the original Miss International Puerto Rico 2014 Patricia Quiñones stepped down from her title for unknown reasons. Valerie was first runner up at the Miss International Puerto Rico 2014 contest.
4. Hernandez is the third black Miss International 2014.
5. Hernandez became emotional and sobbed as she was announced the winner and was crowned by the previous year title winner Bea Santiago of Philippines.
6. According to Valerie's Facebook page, she has studied ballet at Escuela de Bellas Artes de Carolina.
7. Apart from being a model, Valerie has worked at Pizza Hut and Professional Gym in the past.
8. Her question at the question-answer round was about what message she would like to give to the world is she wins the 2014 title. "Thinking about Miss International title, I think it's not just crown, it's not just the title, it's one of the hardest responsibility. As Miss International, I want to send a message of love, peace, and unity," Valerie said, according to Philstar.com.
Miss Colombia Zuleika Suarez was the first runner up at the event while Miss Thailand Punika Kulsoontornrut became the second runner up. Miss United Kingdom Victoria Tooby and Miss Finland Milla Romppanen bagged the titles of third and fourth runner-ups respectively at Miss International 2014. Read more here.
Other top ten winners at the contest included Miss Brazil, Miss Colombia, Miss Mexico, Miss Panama, Miss Indonesia and Miss Argentina.