TT queens in search of titles

The veteran is Keneisha Thom, 22, the Tobago beauty who represented this country at the Miss World Pageant in Sanya, China, 2004. On that occasion, she placed third in the Beach Beauty segment of the competition and was among the top 15 overall, just missing out on a spot in the finals.

This time around, the stunning, dark-skinned beauty, hopes to bring home this country’s third Miss Universe title, following in the footsteps of Janelle “Penny” Commissiong in 1977 and Wendy Fitzwilliam 1998. She is now deep in preparations for the competition which comes off in July at a venue yet to be finalised.

Thom, who grew up in Scarborough, is a full-time accountant at WASA and is currently pursuing ACCA Level II qualifications at the School of Business and Computer Science. She considers herself an ambitious, determined, caring and spiritual person.

“It’s a dream, it’s something I would always want to do,” she said when asked what made her want to represent Trinidad and Tobago again.

She said her family supported her spur-of-the-moment decision to enter another Miss TT pageant: “They are the strongest supporters that I need.”

She said they constantly push her and help with her physical and mental preparations for the competition.

Thom explained: “It is so much work. You have to balance appearances with training. The gym is my home now.”

Thom said her experience in the Miss World Pageant taught her to look at life differently. She is more passionate about achieving her goals and wants to use the opportunity of representing TT to assist people in any way she can.

Newcomer to the beauty arena, Tineke De Freitas, 23, will be this country’s delegate at the Miss World Pageant which takes place in Poland on September 30. De Freitas, who like Thom is an accountant, grew up in Westmoorings. The attractive Ernst & Young employee describes herself as “a qualified accountant who enjoys modelling.” In fact, she considers this to be the most unique aspect of her life.

While she is new to the world of beauty competitions, De Freitas has represented this country in the international arena — as a national junior swimmer. She said family and friends encouraged her to enter the Miss TT Pageant. She felt she had nothing to lose and that the experience would help her to develop into a well-rounded woman. Reflecting on her triumph in the local pageant, she told Sunday Newsday: “It’s a great feeling, it’s both exciting and self-fulfilling.

“I’m hoping to do my best,” she added, when asked how she felt about the upcoming Miss World competition.

De Freitas’ eyes glowed with pride when she spoke about her parents. The third of four daughters, born to Keith and Patsy De Freitas, she said her greatest inspiration in life was unselfishness and dedication of her parents.

These days, she is kept very busy with her job and preparing for the pageant but in the little spare time she manages to find, she likes exercise and reading.

She said her pageant preparations involve a lot of physical training, as well as getting in touch with her spiritual side. She is looking forward to the opportunity to positively promote TT at the international beauty pageant. To beauty queens who want to represent TT internationally, De Freitas offers the following advice: “Do it because you want to.”

The two Miss TTs were crowned on Monday night following a pageant hosted by local franchise holder for the two international competitions, businessman and fashion designer Peter Elias, at Club Zen, in Port-of-Spain.