Phillipps modelled for much of her life

Garfene Grandison, Gleaner Writer

Twenty-four-year-old, Jamaican Yendi Phillipps was born to be in beauty pageants.

Phillipps, in an interview with The Gleaner, said her mother used to make her enter many beauty pageants. She laughed on recounting an occasion when her mother scolded her for deliberately messing up at a pageant because she was tired.

In 2007, Phillipps decided to enter the Miss World pageant.

A trained dancer, Phillipps won the award for best talent piece and walked away with the title of Miss Jamaica World 2007.

Before the competition in China on December 1 of that year, Phillipps had already become one of the favourites to win the Miss World crown.

She became the first contestant in Miss World pageant history to make it to the finals of all the fast track events at Miss World 2007.

She was 1st runner-up in Miss World Beach Beauty and a finalist in the Miss World Sports, Miss World Talent, Miss World Top Model and the Beauty With A Purpose Award. During the live telecast, she made the final top 16.

After returning, Phillipps became the host of the Digicel Rising Stars. A job she did for two seasons.

Phillipps then returned to modelling, doing a 6-month stint in South Africa.

There she did campaigns for magazines, and photoshoots with renowned photographers.

On July 3, at the Chinese Benevolent Association, Phillipps was crowned Miss Jamaica Universe 2010.

Again, Phillipps did well in individual events, copping the People Vote category, the costume category, and the most photogenic category.

grandison.garfene@gleanerjm.com

24 years in the making

Jamaica has been entering the Miss Universe pageant since 1986, but has never enjoyed as much success as it did this year, when Yendi Phillipps found herself runner-up to Jimena Navarrete, Miss Mexico, of Guadalajara.

Phillipps was just one-year-old when Liliana Cisneros, became the first Miss Jamaica Universe. Since then, Jamaica has not looked back.

Although Jamaica has never won the Miss Universe title, the country has been among the top 10 on numerous occasions.

Miss Jamaica Universe

1986 - Liliana Cisneros

1987 - Janice Sewell

1988 - Leota Suah

1989 - Sandra Foster (top 10)

1990 - Michelle Hall

1991 - Kimberly Mais (top 10)

1992 - Bridgette Rhoden

1993 - Rachel Stuart

1994 - Angelie Martin

1995 - Justine Willoughby

1996 - Trudi-Ann Ferguson

1997 - Nadine Thomas

1998 - Shani McGraham

1999 - Nicole Haughton (top 10)

2000 - Sapphire Longmore

2001 - Zahra Burton

2002 - Sanya Hughes

2003 - Michelle Lecky

2004 - Christine Straw (top 10)

2005 - Raquel Wright

2006 - Cindy Wright

2007 - Zahra Redwood

2008 - April Jackson

2009 - Carolyn Yapp

2010 - Yendi Phillipps - First runner-up