Haylani Pearl Mataupu Kuruppu is a Sri Lankan-Samoan social worker, author, fitness trainer and beauty queen based in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. She was born in Australia to a Sri Lankan father and a Samoan mother.
Kuruppu attended Australian Catholic University in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and John Paul College in Daisy Hill, Queensland. Her father is from Colombo, Sri Lanka while her mother is from Apia, Samoa.
When Kuruppu represented Samoa in Miss Global, she became the first Samoan beauty queen to reach the Top 5 of an international beauty pageant with more than 60 candidates. Here are 13 more things about her:
As a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionary, she spent 18 months in Nagoya, Japan and Melbourne, Australia as a volunteer.
In December 2018, she visited Dehiwala-Mount Lavinia, Sri Lanka.
In January 2020, she visited Noosa, Queensland. On February 1, 2020, she was at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Apia.
In June 2020, she visited Broadbeach, Queensland.
On September 10, 2022, she represented Melbourne’s Samoan community at Miss Samoa 2022 and competed against seven other candidates at Gym 1 in Tuanaimato, Apia. She won the title.
On September 21, 2022, she arrived in Australia.
On October 3, 2022, she and her family attended the 60th Independence Flag Raising celebration held for the Samoan community in Brisbane. On October 23, 2022, she went back to Apia.
In November 2022, she walked for Samson Lee in a fashion show at the Taumeasina Island Resort in Apia.
In December 2022, she visited Lalomanu, Upolu, Samoa.
On February 3, 2023, she represented Samoa at Miss Pacific Islands 2023 at Gym 1 in Tuanaimato and competed against four other candidates. She was runner-up to Josie Nicholas of Papua New Guinea. On February 27, 2023, she turned 25.
On September 9, 2023, she went back to Gym 1 in Tuanaimato to crown her successor Miss Samoa 2023 Moemoana Schwenke.
On June 3, 2023, her children’s book “Haylanni: The Journey to Miss Samoa” was launched. She and Falefitu Tony Laulu co-wrote the book, which was illustrated by Tomasi Greentree.
On January 18, 2024, she represented Samoa at Miss Global 2023 and competed against 68 other candidates at Bayon TV’s studio in Steung Meanchey, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. She was runner-up to Ashley Melendez of Puerto Rico.
Published by Jillianina Estevez
Published
January 19, 2024February 3, 2024
Source link : https://conandaily.com/2024/01/19/haylani-kuruppu-biography-13-things-about-miss-global-2023-first-runner-up/
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Publish date : 2024-01-19 03:00:00
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