TT girl wins Miss Model of the World in China

When Aqiyla Gomez’ parents received the email from Pageant personnel that their daughter had won the Miss Model of the World competition, loud screams were heard from their Diego Martin residence. “We were all very excited and happy for her. As a matter of fact, I think it’s a great thing for Trinidad and Tobago because I believe she is the first black person to win that competition,” her father, Anthony Gomez, told Sunday Newsday. Aqiyla, first runner-up at the Miss Trinidad and Tobago leg, placed first out of 59 candidates in the international event and along the way, picked up the Miss Physique title. The event was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province of China last Friday.

Second and third placed were Ma Li from China and Zhang Ying from Hong Kong. “She’s very excited, and very tired also,” said Mr Gomez. “She is anxious to come home. I’m not sure when she’ll be coming but she has to stay a few days again.” Aqiyla, 22, a clerk at the Frederick Street branch of Western Union Money Transfer, is a past student of St Francois Girls’ High School. She is a former Coco Velvet model, a pannist and athlete and once trained with Memphis sports club. “She wanted to study sports medicine but due to a recent injury to her knee, I think that was the whole keep back,” Mr Gomez said. She comes from a family of pan enthusiasts coupled with academics. Her father is the former captain of Petrotrin Phase II Pan Groove and her brother, Ceon, who holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music was pan arranger for Laventille Sound Specialists and Scrunters Pan Groove. Her sister, Camila, is pursuing a degree in Biology in North Carolina, USA.

“I don’t know if she’s changed her course...but I try to support her cause when you see a child wants to achieve, we try to support her. I am glad for her, it’s like a dream come true for Aquila because she’s the type of person that she doesn’t settle for just anything and just goes and goes. After she came second in the local leg, it was Richard Young (model coach and fashion consultant) who, when he saw her said she was international material, so I thank him for his foresight.” The Miss Model of the World, in its 16th year, was founded in Turkey in 1988. Former representatives of the Caribbean were Jamaica and Puerto Rico. The franchise was secured by Caribbean Models in conjunction with Mannequins Caribbean earlier this year.