More than 100 women are competing in the 69th annual staging of the pageant but Brathwaite was able to earn her place in the top 40 by capturing the title of Miss World 2019 Top Sports Woman, on Thursday, November 28.

Brathwaite finished ahead of Miss World Nigeria and Miss World Trinidad & Tobago who placed second and third, respectively.

Miss World BVI said she was somewhat surprised to have topped her group in sports considering that she gave up athletics several years ago.

“I’m not an athlete by any means. I gave up track and field at the age of seven for ballet shoes and a stage. But I come from a very athletic family so it must still be somewhere in my DNA. I am just truly grateful to come from a territory with a competitive heart when it comes to sports,” Brathwaite stated.

Well-motivated

She also said the BVI continues to keep her well-motivated as she enters each competition.

“Entering each event, I carried the notion that the BVI maybe small and may not be easily recognized in a competition with 130 girls, but we have an enormous and resilient heart; and that notion gave me the confidence to compete only for the number one spot! Because the BVI is number one in my heart.”

Being in the top 40 means Brathwaite will compete in the finals of the event on December 14.

Meanwhile, the Miss World BVI (MWBVI) Committee Social Media Manager Kadia Turnbull said she believes this recent historic achievement warrants further support from the territory.

“The MWBVI committee encourages the country to continue supporting Rikkiya by commenting, sharing and voting for BVI’s on all official social media uploads on the Miss World Organization social media pages and by downloading the MobStar App free of charge.”

The pageant will conclude on Saturday, December 14, where a new Miss World will be crowned by reigning pageant queen, Vanessa Ponce of Mexico.