Can Mariel de Leon deliver a back-to-back win in Miss International for the Philippines?

Can she duplicate Kylie Versoza’s victory and become the seventh Filipina to win the Miss International crown?

Daughter of celebrity couple Christopher de Leon and Sandy Andolong, Mariel has always dreamed of becoming a beauty queen. Although she failed to bring home a crown on her first attempt in Binibining Pilipinas when she was only 19, she believes God was only preparing her to become more ready for the crown. And on that fateful night of April 30 when she joined the pageant for the second time, her prayers were answered by God.

“Miss International was always the crown I was dreaming of because they represent ethereal beauties who are strong but gentle, compassionate, intelligent, kind, and are willing to take action to change the world,” she said on her Instagram account after her victory.

Check out her post 2 days ago:

This is the night that changed my life. The night the lion came out! It made it even more memorable because I was crowned by Kylie Verzosa! Miss International was always the crown I was dreaming of because they represent ethereal beauties who are strong but gentle, compassionate, intelligent, kind, and are willing to take action to change the world. God has answered my prayers. His love is amazing! Thank you, Father! Thank you Nanay, Tatay, and my siblings for supporting me since day 1. Without you guys, I am nothing and I wouldn’t be the woman I am today. We have all always shared so much love with each other and I am so grateful for all of you. God has blessed me with the best parents and siblings ever! I love you all. Thank you to my friends, my relatives, and Ate Esai for always being so excited for me and for always supporting me through this whole journey. Thank you also to my boyfriend for always sending me loving and kind words whenever I felt down and for always making me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world! To my ‘Titas of Manila’ group! Tita Toni, Voltaire, and Tito Rhett. Thank you for always having my back and always giving me advice. Your guidance has helped me push through the competition with flying colors! To my Aces & Queens family. I am so grateful and over the moon to be part of your family since 2013. You helped mold me from a girl to a woman… A princess to a QUEEN. The Aces & Queens are the best beauty queen makers in the whole world but the real queens are all you mamas and papas! You sacrifice everything in your part yet never ask for money, or anything for that matter, in return for all those training sessions. You just ask us to do our best, not for you, but for ourselves and our dreams. I am so blessed to be in such a generous and loving group. You do this out of your love and passion for beauty pageants and for us, your anaks. Without Aces & Queens, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I wouldn’t be a beauty queen. I am Mariel de Leon, your Binibining Pilipinas International 2017!

Mariel is scheduled to compete against 60+ beautiful women around the globe for the 57th Miss International title this October in Tokyo, Japan. Do you think she can deliver a historic back-to-back win? Watch the video below to find out: