# Miss Asia Pacific International

Miss Asia Pacific International is one of the oldest international beauty pageants, based in Manila, Philippines. It was founded in 1965 as Miss Asia and later renamed Miss Asia Pacific in 1984, followed by Miss Asia Pacific Quest in 1985 when Latin American and Pacific countries were included. In 2005, it was renamed to its current title, Miss Asia Pacific International.
The current titleholder is Janelis Leyba of the United States, who was crowned Miss Asia Pacific International 2024 on 7 October 2024 at Newport Performing Arts Theater in Pasay, Philippines. She is the first American to win the title, marking the comeback of the pageant.

## History

The pageant was established in 1965 as the Miss Asia contest. The first titleholder was Angela Filmer from Malaysia. She was crowned by incoming first lady Imelda Marcos on December 4, 1965. The initial edition of the contest included participants from 18 countries.
The pageant's name was changed to Miss Asia Pacific in 1984 and Miss Asia Pacific Quest in 1985 when participants from the Americas and the Pacific region were included. In 2005, it was renamed Miss Asia Pacific International to allow participants from all countries. The pageant was not held in 1990 due to the Luzon earthquake, in 1991 due to the Mount Pinatubo eruption, in 2004, from 2006 to 2015, and from 2020 to 2023.
In 2005, Leonora Jimenez Monge from Costa Rica was dethroned after participating in the Miss World contest. The title was then passed to the first runner-up, Yevgeniya Lapova from Russia. The pageant was then suspended after the conclusion of the 2005 edition. It resumed 12 years later in 2016, with Tessa le Conge from the Netherlands winning the title.
The last titleholder before the hiatus was Chaiyenne Huisman from Spain, who was crowned on October 9, 2019.
Due to restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, no competitions were held from 2020 to 2023. The pageant returned in October 2024, with Eva Patalinjug as the new President and Kristine Caballero-Aplal as General Manager.

## Titleholders

| Year | Edition | Country/Territory | Miss Asia Pacific International | Location | Entrants |
| 1965 | 1st | Malaysia | Angela Filmer | Manila, Philippines | 18 |
| 1968 | 2nd | Taiwan | Macy Shih | Quezon City, Philippines | 12 |
| 1969 | 3rd | South Korea | Seo Won-kyoung | Quezon City, Philippines | 13 |
| 1970 | 4th | India | Zeenat Aman | Quezon City, Philippines | 15 |
| 1971 | 5th | Guam | Flora Baza | Quezon City, Philippines | 15 |
| 1972 | 6th | Australia | Janet Coutts | Quezon City, Philippines | 14 |
| 1973 | 7th | India | Tara Anne Fonseca | Manila, Philippines | 14 |
| 1974 | 8th | Australia | Susie Currie | Manila, Philippines | 16 |
| 1975 | 9th | Papua New Guinea | Eva Regina Arni | Manila, Philippines | 18 |
| 1976 | 10th | Singapore | Jacqueline Stuart | Manila, Philippines | 17 |
| 1977 | 11th | Indonesia | Linda Emran | Manila, Philippines | 17 |
| 1978 | 12th | Thailand | Siriporn Savanglum | Manila, Philippines | 15 |
| 1979 | 13th | Turkey | Ayla Altas | Manila, Philippines | 15 |
| 1980 | 14th | Australia | Lorraine Gaye McGrady | Manila, Philippines | 16 |
| 1981 | 15th | Sri Lanka | Bernadine Rose Ramanayake | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 16 |
| 1982 | 16th | Philippines | Maria del Carmen Ines Zaragoza | Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | 14 |
| 1983 | 17th | Philippines | Gloria Dimayacyac | Manila, Philippines | 14 |
| 1984 | 18th | Turkey | Melek Gurkan | Christchurch, New Zealand | 19 |
| 1985 | 19th | Israel | Nurit Mizrachi | Wan Chai, British Hong Kong | 31 |
| 1986 | 20th | New Zealand | Helen Mary Crawford | Hung Hom, British Hong Kong | 32 |
| 1987 | 21st | Panama | Cilinia Prada | Wanchai, British Hong Kong | 30 |
| 1988 | 22nd | Thailand | Preeyanuch Panpradub | Hung Hom, British Hong Kong | 32 |
| 1989 | 23rd | Philippines | Lorna Legaspi | Tsim Sha Tsui, British Hong Kong | 31 |
| 1992 | 24th | Israel | Tali Ben-Harush | Manila, Philippines | 24 |
| 1993 | 25th | Philippines | Michelle Aldana | Pasay, Philippines | 23 |
| 1994 | 26th | Peru | Jessica Guiulfo Tapia | Cebu, Philippines | 26 |
| 1995 | 27th | South Korea | Yoon Mi-jung | Benguet, Philippines | 27 |
| 1996 | 28th | Costa Rica | Gabriela Aguilar | Subic, Zambales, Philippines | 27 |
| 1997 | 29th | Thailand | Worarat Suwannarat | Davao City, Philippines | 25 |
| 1998 | 30th | Costa Rica | Kisha Alvarado | Pampanga, Philippines | 25 |
| 1999 | 31st | Colombia | Juliana Andrea Arango | Quezon City, Philippines | 25 |
| 2000 | 32nd | India | Diya Mirza Handrich | Quezon City, Philippines | 23 |
| 2001 | 33rd | Peru | Luciana Luisa Farfán | Makati, Philippines | 19 |
| 2002 | 34th | South Korea | Kim So-yoon | Manila, Philippines | 25 |
| 2003 | 35th | Russia | Tatyana Nikitina | Pasay, Philippines | 25 |
| 2005 | 36th | Costa Rica | Leonora Jiménez (Dethroned) | Guangzhou, China | 51 |
| 2005 | 36th | Russia | Yevgeniya Lapova (Assumed) | Guangzhou, China | 51 |
| 2016 | 37th | Netherlands | Tessa Helena le Conge | Palawan, Philippines | 40 |
| 2017 | 38th | Brazil | Francielly Ouriques | Pasay, Philippines | 42 |
| 2018 | 39th | Philippines | Sharifa Akeel | Pasay, Philippines | 51 |
| 2019 | 40th | Spain | Chaiyenne Huisman | Pasay, Philippines | 54 |
| 2024 | 41st | United States | Janelis Leyba | Pasay, Philippines | 33 |
Countries/Territories by number of wins :
| Countries/Territories | Titles | Year(s) |
| Philippines | 5 | 1982, 1983, 1989, 1993, 2018 |
| South Korea | 3 | 1969, 1995, 2002 |
| India | 3 | 1970, 1973, 2000 |
| Thailand | 3 | 1978, 1988, 1997 |
| Costa Rica | 3 | 1996, 1998, 2005$^A$ |
| Australia | 3 | 1972, 1974, 1980 |
| Peru | 2 | 1994, 2001 |
| Turkey | 2 | 1979, 1984 |
| Russia | 2 | 2003, 2005$^B$ |
| Israel | 2 | 1985, 1992 |
| United States | 1 | 2024 |
| Spain | 1 | 2019 |
| Brazil | 1 | 2017 |
| Netherlands | 1 | 2016 |
| Colombia | 1 | 1999 |
| Panama | 1 | 1987 |
| New Zealand | 1 | 1986 |
| Sri Lanka | 1 | 1981 |
| Indonesia | 1 | 1977 |
| Singapore | 1 | 1976 |
| Papua New Guinea | 1 | 1975 |
| Guam | 1 | 1971 |
| Taiwan | 1 | 1968 |
| Malaysia | 1 | 1965 |

## List of runner-ups

| Year | Runner-ups | Runner-ups | Runner-ups | Runner-ups |
| Year | First | Second | Third | Fourth |
| 1965 | Ester Cheryl da Silva Ceylon | Resurreccion Vianzon Philippines | Not awarded | Not awarded |
| 1968 | Cassandra Stiles Australia | Atsumi Ikeno Japan | Jane Mozo de Goya Philippines | Valisra Trungvachirachi Thailand |
| 1969 | Shirley Sha Taiwan | Sandra Jacqueline Van Geyzel Malaysia | Julie Ann Hodge Australia | Frances Margaret Carrick New Zealand |
| 1970 | Alice Tiongson Crisostomo Philippines | Yvonne Haunani Young Hawaii | Carolyn Dartnell Australia | Geraldine Welford New Zealand |
| 1971 | Carolyn Gomara Masibay Philippines | Hong Jung Ja South Korea | Gayah Tehetchik Israel | Sandra Van Loon Australia |
| 1972 | Yvette Marie Alfon Philippines | Dorit Bar Israel | Vivienne Hamilton New Zealand | Srungya Krachangsuk Thailand |
| 1973 | Nehama Fass Israel | Lely Herawati Soendoro Indonesia | Chung Kum Ok South Korea | Deborah Seccounbe Australia |
| 1974 | Ethel Lau Wai Tak British Hong Kong | Paripola Penson Philippines | Liza Sindoro Indonesia | Debra Josephine De Souza Singapore |
| 1975 | Bernadette Paille Tahiti | Jane Reilly Australia | Darlene Schwenkey Samoa | Linda Kaur Malaysia |
| 1976 | Maea Atger Tahiti | Anna Adrianne Bredemeyer India | Anna Luisa Delgado Philippines | Michelle Ann Glass Australia |
| 1977 | Marianne De Souza India | Helen Ng Singapore | Yifat Netzer Israel | Rio Diaz Philippines |
| 1978 | Epifania Lagman Philippines | Hannah Ekerling Israel | Julie Ann Croft Australia | Hisako Tanaka Japan |
| 1979 | Maureen Mary Lestourgeon India | Lorraine Espiridon Schuck Philippines | Lajiah P. R. Sharma Singapore | Tracy Christopherson Australia |
| 1980 | Rose Maria de Vera Philippines | Annie Chen Chiau Chuin Singapore | Cara Pollock New Zealand | Mina Coldas Turkey |
| 1981 | Kimberly Ann Carey Guam | Corrine Gail Carvalho Hawaii | Kang Hae Suk South Korea | Beatrice Hawkins Malaysia |
| 1982 | Rosa Maria Misa New Zealand | Tippawan Aukkraphun Thailand | Sharon de Jong Sri Lanka | Mi Il Kim South Korea |
| 1983 | Dorit Kadosh Israel | Nazan Satchi Turkey | Joanna Johns New Zealand | Siriwan Wangwilai Thailand |
| 1984 | Gayle Ann Jones New Zealand | Elsie Oh Swee Ping Singapore | Rinat Hadashi Israel | Suzanne Hoffman United States |
| 1985 | Lin Ji Yeon South Korea | Liliana Tapia Castillo Peru | Eva Lai British Hong Kong | Perla Pereira Fruthwirth Guatemala |
| 1986 | Lim Suet Kwee Singapore | Sararat Rumruangwong Thailand | Not awarded | Not awarded |
| 1987 | Ana Corina Burgos del Rio Mexico | Toni Jean Frances Peters Australia | Choi Eun-hee South Korea | Niril Elyovich Israel |
| 1988 | Elsy Guadelupe Aceves Gurrola Mexico | Revital Mor Israel | Fatma Anil Northern Cyprus | Mi Rim Kim South Korea |
| 1989 | Myriam Tuheiava Tahiti | Galit Farber Israel | Gloria Petrovic Canada | Anne Seekaew Thailand |
| 1992 | Chutima Nirunsitirat Thailand | Mutya Laxa Philippines | Ingrid Matie Mole New Zealand | Kissarne Watson Australia |
| 1993 | Namrata Shirodkar India | Monica Reyes Chile | Maria Teresa Aragon Mexico | Lavianna Tan Poh Ling Malaysia |
| 1994 | Karla Contreras Estrada Mexico | Ozlem Mete Turkey | Nathalie Cohen Israel | Vaihere Lehartel Taiwan |
| 1995 | Ruchitra Malhotra India | Hsiao-Ping Chen Taiwan | Rocio del Pilar Abed Peru | Previtha Thiyagarajah Malaysia |
| 1996 | Marilyn Maristela Philippines | Mirna Sommers Tahiti | Mariel Ocampo Peru | Kenia Melais Panama |
| 1997 | Divya Chauhan India | Nancy Veronica Peoma Agnieray Tahiti | Kerry Anita Lucas Australia | Gabriela dela Luz de Heeckeren Lagos Chile |
| 1998 | Lourdes Lewis Panama | Priya Nair Fiji | Klara Lisy Australia | Metua Heimoana Tahiti |
| 1999 | Anna Tatarintseva Russia | Amy Trott Australia | Wan Wang-Fei Taiwan | Leanne Catherine Sorby New Zealand |
| 2000 | Marianela Salazar Guillen Panama | Winter Noel Washington Australia | Alexandra Maria Rivas El Salvador | Kanueng-nit In-orng Thailand |
| 2001 | Lisette Villanueva Jiménez Mexico | Wanvisa Kham-daeng-yai Thailand | Karol Inés de la Torre Pinilla Colombia | Darlene Carbungco Philippines |
| 2002 | Ksenia Volkova Russia | Tina Chhatwal India | Miriam San Jose Chui Philippines | Aishwarya Sukhdeo Fiji |
| 2003 | Shonal Rawat India | Andrea Ovares López Costa Rica | Tracy Freundt Peru | Samantha Wong Wye Yeng Malaysia |
| 2005 | Evgeniya Lapova Russia (Resigned) | Zhang Li Yu China (Resigned) | Claudia Ortiz de Zevallos Peru (Resigned) | Jedah Hernandez Philippines (Resigned) |
| 2005 | Zhang Li Yu China (Assumed) | Claudia Ortiz de Zevallos Peru (Assumed) | Jedah Hernandez Philippines (Assumed) | Not awarded |
| 2016 | Shawanya Tanhomwong Thailand | Ganiel Akrisha Atun Krishnan Philippines | Felicia George Cook Islands | Kim So-yeon South Korea |
| 2017 | Acacia Walker New Zealand | Valeria Cardona Honduras | Morgan Doelwijt Netherlands | Ilene De Vera Philippines |
| 2018 | Gabriela Palma Brazil | Melania Gonzales Costa Rica (Dethroned) | Misheelt Narmandakh Mongolia (Resigned) | Mariani Nataly Chacón Venezuela (Resigned) |
| 2018 | Gabriela Palma Brazil | Misheelt Narmandakh Mongolia (Assumed) | Mariani Nataly Chacón Venezuela (Assumed) | Raquel Van Gool Netherlands (Assumed) |
| 2019 | Eoanna Constanza Dominican Republic | Jessica Victoria Cianchino Canada | Carolina Schuler Brazil | Fiorella Cortez Arbenz Costa Rica |
| 2024 | Karen Sofia Nuñez Mexico | Selena Ali Belgium | Blessa Ericha Figueroa Philippines | Jennifer Prokop Germany |

## Continental Queens

| Edition | Africa | Americas | Asia | Europe | Oceania |
| 2019 | Michele-Ange Minkata Cameroon | Jessica Cianchino Canada | Klyza Castro Philippines | Lauralyn Vermeersch Belgium | Chelsea Martin New Zealand |
| 2024 | Chizuruoke Sufficient Arua Nigeria | Gabriela De Paiva Padilla Bolivia | Sophiya Singh India | Selena Ali Belgium | Keshia Lee Llarenas Guam |