Contestant Le Thi Thu Tra was seen suffering from symptoms of heat stroke during the contest’s final results announcement, held on Friday in the coastal province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau.
Tra had to lean on the shoulder of another contestant, Huynh Ngoc Lan Anh, to remain on the stage.
The production team brought Tra backstage after that.
Beside Tra, three other contestants experienced signs of heat stroke and were moved indoors by contest organizers.
Duong Thu Huong, head of the competition’s panel of judges, assured NgoiSao that the contest organizers prioritized contestants’ health conditions.
She said the production team constantly reminded the 30 finalists to take care of themselves, not skip meals, and maintain frequent exercise in order for their health to be in their best states.
"Not only the competitors, but judges almost collapsed as well," Huong said. "We want the finalists to be aware of how challenging, instead of fabulous, competing in a beauty pageant is."
Miss Ocean Vietnam 2023’s judging panel hold their umbrellas to avoid the heat while watching the contestants’ performances on August 25, 2023. Photo courtesy of the contest organizers |
She added that around 90% of the contestants were attending a beauty pageant for the first time. Because of that, she wanted to encourage them to learn from this occasion and know how to be prepared for other jobs and contests they may attend in the future.
Vo Viet Chung, president of the Miss Ocean Vietnam contest, explained that this year’s final was held in the morning under the sun, instead of at night as usual, to take advantage of natural light and not have to rely on man-made lighting systems. By doing so, the contest saved electricity and minimized its environmental effects.
"Everything [in this year’s contest] is in its experimental phase," he said. "We will learn from this to better improve in the upcoming years."
This year’s Miss Ocean Vietnam final started at 6 a.m., with 30 finalists competing in sub-contests including swimsuit, night gowns, presentation, and interview.
Tran Thi Thu Uyen, 23, of the Mekong Delta province of Soc Trang, won the pageant title.