Being fit makes Miss Universe Singapore finalists feel fab
Miss Universe S'pore finalists take on indoor football
Being fit makes these beauty queens feel most fab.
At Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre last Saturday, this year's top 15 Miss Universe Singapore (MUS) finalists displayed both beauty and brawn in a friendly game of indoor football as part of Feel Fab Fest, the inaugural sports, fitness and lifestyle festival organised by Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) and Sport Singapore.
They were split up into teams, and also got a chance to shoot individual free kicks as a form of warm-up.
Spin instructor Tiong Jia En, 23, joined track at Victoria Junior College, but admitted she struggled to keep up with the other athletes from her alma mater.
Then, at the National University of Singapore, she joined the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences' cross country team.
Miss Tiong told The New Paper: "The funny thing is, in secondary school I (wasn't sporty at all). I was the president of the library club.
"Today will be my first time (playing football) so I'm a little nervous but excited. The other finalists don't have much experience playing football too so it's going to be fun and something new for everyone."
Despite her inexperience in the sport, Miss Tiong - who is dedicated to her daily fitness regimen of yoga, pilates and rhythm cycling - scored a few goals during the football challenge.
Miss Loo May Tia, 19, a former national rhythmic gymnast, drew parallels between sports and MUS. She said: "MUS and gymnastics have similarities in terms of competing.
"For instance, teamwork is key. I was part of a gym team (in rhythmic gymnastics) and we had to (train) and perform together.
"All the MUS finalists are working together. We're working with the organisers, the backstage crew, the hair and make-up artists and stylists - there's a lot of cooperation and communication involved."
Miss Tyen Rasif goes one step further in debunking the stereotype of a typical beauty queen.
Not only does she hold the title of the youngest world ranked bodybuilder in Singapore, she also clinched second place in the International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness Asian Championships 2017 in Mongolia and fourth place in the Olympia Amateur Asia 2017 in Hong Kong.
The 22-year-old undergraduate said: "I've been competing in bodybuilding for three years. I personally enjoy challenging my body to the extreme and seeing where I can take it to.
"For beauty pageants, there is a different kind of training and diet and it's a new challenge for me.
"In MUS, I'm not trying to build muscle but rather, promote a healthy and sustainable lifestyle which includes high protein meals and (lots of) vegetables. But I still workout every other day because it makes me feel good."
For Miss Jaslyn Tan, who used to do ballet, modern contemporary and Chinese dance, the challenge is to attain a pageant-ready body by keeping her sweet tooth at bay.
After being diagnosed with hypothyroidism six years ago, the 26-year-old realtor has made healthier changes to her lifestyle.
She said: "I love my sweets, especially cake. But since joining MUS, I've cut my sugar intake and carbohydrates. (When I order a) salad, for example, I don't include sinful dressing like Thousand Island or mayonnaise. Instead, I opt for fresh lemon juice or olive oil."
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