Miss Global Samoa and former Miss Samoa Haylani Kuruppu has been named first runner up in the Miss Global 2023 pageant behind Miss Puerto Rico, in Cambodia.
Samoa Global News reports it was a long night for the children’s book author as Samoa was named in the Top 20, then Top 12, Top 5 and eventually stood together on stage with Miss Puerto Rico to await the announcement of the winner!
Miss Kuruppu said later she’s the first Miss Global Samoa but she does not wish to be the last as she challenged organisers for the continued participation of Samoa.
Empowering women, putting Samoa on the Global stage and inspiring the next Miss Global Samoa have been the main themes and key messages of Miss Kuruppu’s reign and journey at the pageant events.
Haylani is a social worker and fitness trainer who also hopes to represent Samoa in basketball.
She is also studying physiotherapy at the Australia Catholic University.
Ms Kuruppu will also go down in history as the first Miss Samoa to have published a book during her tenure.
Haylanni: the Journey to Miss Samoa is a children’s book launched with the support of Samoa Stationery and Books.
