And Miss Samoa 2022 is…

After a three year hiatus due to the Covid pandemic, the Miss Samoa pageant was back with 8 beautiful contestants vying for the crown. Haylani Pearl Kuruppu was crowned Vodaphone Miss Samoa 2022-2023 by the reigning Miss Samoa and Pacific Islands, Fonoifafo McFarland Seumanu who held the role for the last two years on September 10, 2022 during . The representative of Melbourne will also represent Samoa to the Miss Pacific Islands, to be held in December 2022. The newly crowned Miss Samoa also won the awards for Best Puletasi, Best Talent, and Miss Photogenic during the pageant.

Kuruppu is studying in a physiotherapy degree at the Australian Catholic University.

She is also passionate about fashion and is working at F45Gym as a group trainer as well as a youth worker supporting young children. “I love keeping my body healthy and participating in sports such as rugby sevens, basketball and touch rugby,” she said.

“My purpose as a young tama’ita’i Samoa is to inspire the youth to be confident with their culture, to grow in knowledge about our roots and love who we are and what we can become.” She is of mixed parentage from Colombo, Sri Lanka and Samoa.

Asked what she would focus on if she won the Miss Samoa crown on Saturday night, Kuruppu pointed to health and the importance of creating awareness on healthy eating and food choices. “I would basically focus on the health aspect of our people. As a Health Advocate in Melbourne, I would work on some health initiatives with the Government, targeting each district as a starting point to create awareness on how we can stay healthy by focusing on our food consumption firstly and then different programs going forward.“

The 2022 Miss Samao’s court includes

1st runner-up – Shilohm Vaeluaga Filipi (Miss Samoa New Zealand). She also won the National Toursim Award and judges rated her as having had the Best Interview.

2nd runner-up– Ella (Miss Princess Mariana Publishing)

3rd runner-up – Olivia Grace Unasa Siaosi (Miss Samoa Victoria). Shealso secured the awards for Best Traditional Wear and Best Sarong as well as the Vodafone People’s Choice Award.

4th runner-up – Gloryesther Fuimaono (Miss SSAB Samoa)