In the blink of an eye, we’ve already entered October, and it has been almost a year since Carissa Yap was crowned as Miss Universe Singapore 2022. Now that she has passed the baton to her successor aka this year’s winner Priyanka Annuncia on 16 September 2023, Singapore has a new representative who will compete at Miss Universe 2023 later in November.
From her workout routine to her experiences with body image in the past, we’ve compiled 10 facts about 26-year-old Priyanka Annuncia for Singaporeans who wish to kaypoh about our new queen.
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Most people struggle to complete just one degree, but not Priyanka. She’s proven to be ahead of the curve by graduating from Murdoch University with a double degree in business law and criminology. Her interest in fighting crime stems from her inspiration drawn from Katherine Beckett, a fictional character in the U.S. crime series Castle.
Expressing her love for the character, Priyanka even dedicated an Instagram post to share the reason for her decision to pursue studies in criminology.
They say the third time’s the charm, but for Priyanka it took just two tries. ICYMI, it wasn’t Priyanka’s first time participating in Miss Universe Singapore ‒ she was one of the top 10 finalists in Miss Universe Singapore 2022.
Luckily for her, she managed to impress the judges even more this time around, and emerged as the winner for this year’s beauty pageant.
Prior to her participation in Miss Universe Singapore, Priyanka also took part in Miss Supranational 2018. During the international beauty pageant, she was crowned Miss Congeniality, and won four other categories, such as Miss Photogenic, Miss Popularity, Miss Personality, and Miss Crowning Glory.
Since it was her first time entering a beauty pageant, Priyanka was impressed by the scale of the competition, and loved the fact that she had the opportunity to fly to Poland for this life-changing experience.
There are many reasons why people join beauty pageants, and for Priyanka, her hope is to amplify her voice and create a positive influence by doing so.
Since she places a huge emphasis on her advocacy work, she believes that Miss Universe Singapore is a platform where she gets to raise awareness about unconventional beauty body types and promote inclusivity.
Priyanka wears many hats, one of which is being a personal fitness coach. A quick glance at her Instagram, and you’ll notice her strong commitment to staying fit and working out.
Previously, she was also a boxing instructor at a boutique fitness studio Crubox – think twice before messing with her.
Every day is a new opportunity to start afresh, and if you’ve been postponing your journey to becoming a fitspo, you can start by trying one of Priyanka’s workout routines. From time to time, she shares the exercises she includes in her full-body burn workouts with her Instagram followers.
In one Instagram post, she features four exercises that she does, including pull-ups, and the use of weights to build strength.
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Inspired to challenge standards of beauty, Priyanka started her own unisex clothing brand Bodsitive in 2019. Her goal is to convey the message that everyone is beautiful in their own way, regardless of their body shape and type. The brand also serves as a journey for women to discover self-love, care, and personal growth.
Personally, I’m thoroughly impressed by how Bodsitive offers a range of sizes, and features undergarments in various shades to complement different skin.
Find out more about Priyanka’s brand on Bodsitive’s official website.
One thing I’m grateful for in Singapore is the security our country provides. However, it was also because of this that I didn’t realise how serious human trafficking was until I watched the movie Taken, which starred Liam Neeson.
Human trafficking occurs in many parts of the world, and Priyanka has shared on Instagram that she is working with Alliance Anti-Traffic, a non-profit organisation, to assist trafficking victims in SEA. Utilising her skills as a private investigator of three years, she has contributed to investigations, led rescue missions, and participated in reintegration programmes for victims.
Earlier this year, in July, she also visited a shelter for trafficking victims in Thailand. During the visit, she was inspired by their resilience, and “reflected on the importance of advocating for better legislation and policies to protect and support trafficking victims”.
Priyanka’s dedication and passion for helping females can also be seen in her support for #HelpSaveHer, a digital space started and founded by her, which is dedicated to crime prevention, education, and victim support.
Through this platform, they provide tips on how to offer support to victims, especially our loved ones, and also debunk myths about sexual harassment.
You might see Priyanka as a confident and optimistic person, but there was a time in her life when she struggled with being a skinny girl. For a long time, Priyanka was underweight, and because of her skinny figure, she received mixed reactions from her friends and family. She was also bullied for her slender frame.
“Some people would tell me being skinny was a good thing and others would tell me that it wasn’t,” Priyanka wrote in an Instagram post.
Their words eventually got to her, and she tried to binge eat junk food, thinking that it was a healthy solution. Although she gained a few kilograms, the unhealthy snacking took a toll on her body. Priyanka began to fall sick easily, and she even recalled a time when she was breathless from climbing just one flight of stairs.
Fortunately, she snapped out of it, and realised the need to take care of her body. She then embarked on a fitness journey, building muscles and strength over the years to become the powerful woman she is today.
The amount of hard work and effort that Priyanka is putting in to make a difference in society shows that she is truly dedicated to making the world a better place. In the meantime, while we wait to see her accomplish great things in the future, we also wish her good luck in the upcoming 72nd Miss Universe 2023.
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