Duong Truong Thien Ly hopes she will receive online votes from fellow Vietnamese and Vietnam-lovers all over the world to qualify for the Miss World semifinals

Vietnam’s Miss World contestant says it’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.

Since the Miss World pageant began on November 16, Ly and more than 110 other contestants have shot their introduction videos, attended the welcoming gala and gone sightseeing in South Africa.

Last week, they visited Hector Pieterson Museum in Soweto. There, they paid tribute to Pieterson, a 12- year-old student who was killed when apartheid authorities opened fire on protesters during the 1976 Soweto student movement.

Despite traveling and a demanding contest schedule, Ly said she’d never felt better.

“The other contestants and I all feel very happy and relaxed. It’s really fascinating to learn about South Africa and its incredible culture,” she said.

“South Africa is much more beautiful than I thought, it is rich in culture and traditions and its people are wonderful. I go from one surprise to another. One month is not enough to discover this country,” said the stress-free beauty queen.

“I’ll bring my family back here one day, especially my wildlife-loving father and his friends. It’s really fantastic!”

Ly said she’s not worried about strong contenders such as Miss Venezuela, Miss United States and Miss Thailand.

“We’re all dreaming of victory, but I’m just trying to make the jurors, contestants and viewers remember who I am and the country I represent,” she said.

Though several international bookmakers have ranked Ly as one of the top contenders for the Miss World crown this year, she said she’s not overconfident.

But she did say she was proud to have won the support of both foreign and Vietnamese observers. Ly said she was also glad that Miss People’s Choice, the contestant who receives most votes from viewers on the Internet, will qualify for the semi-final.

She said this boosts her chances.

The contest results will be announced at the grand finale on December 13.

Ly hopes to receive votes from Vietnamese all over the world.

“But I’m not worried about coming home empty-handed. My presence at this pageant is a victory already.

“Each contestant has her own beauty, not winning the title doesn’t mean we are losers. How valuable can beauty really be if we’re all only worried about winning?”

She added the greatest prize is everyone’s wholehearted support and the memorable experiences she’s having in South Africa.

The beauty queen said she will play the guitar and sing a song for the talent portion of the contest and display her swimming skills for the sports section.

She will wear an evening gown by top designer Nguyen Cong Tri, who will also be her make-up advisor during the contest.

For the traditional costume round, Ly will don an ao dai (Vietnamese traditional tunic) designed by famed designer Sy Hoang.

Global bookmakers say Duong Truong Thien Ly is among the top contenders for the next Miss World crown, according to globalbeauties.com.

According to last week’s postings, Boyle Sports had ranked Ly and Miss Ecuador as tied for third at 12 to 1 odds while Ly was also ranked third by Stan James’ ranking with odds of 14 to 1.

Ly, a second runner up at Miss Universe Vietnam 2008, has the best pre-competition odds any Vietnamese Miss World contestant has ever had.

The 19-year-old woman, who is a sophomore in communications at Saint Mary’s College in the US, finished third at the International Modeling and Talent Association’s contest in New York this August.

The 1.69-meter beauty queen was chosen to attend the pageant in Johannesburg, South Africa, to replace Miss Vietnam 2008 Tran Thi Thuy Dung after Dung was disqualified for not having graduated from high school.

Reported by Da Ly