Miss SVG crowned Miss Caribbean Culture Queen

If there’s anything that pageantry has taught Shellisa Nanton, Miss SVG 2018, it would be about persistence and endurance.

And it was the same persistence and endurance that earned the 23-year-old the crown at the Flow Miss Caribbean Culture Queen Pageant in St Kitts and Nevis on Monday.

“You cannot give up easily and you have to be able to endure certain challenges that might present themselves, such as my ankle, that we did not wish to happen, but actually happened,” Nanton told SEARCHLIGHT.

The queen revealed that she tore a ligament in her left ankle during rehearsals last Friday. And she endured through the ordeal, beating out eight other contestants, to bring the crown home to St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“I’m overwhelmed with emotion,” she said. “I’m elated that I came out successful, but overall, I’m just grateful that I got the opportunity to represent my country and I did so to the best of my ability.”

Although she did not win any of the individual categories, Nanton said that she believes she was consistent throughout the pageant and that was what earned her the crown.

Nanton’s evening gown was created by local designer Kimon Baptiste. The swimwear pieces that she wore to compete in the whole piece and bikini segments of the show were also designed and created by local designer label Pinky’s Creations.

The reigning Miss SVG expressed gratitude to her chaperone Aviar Charles, whom she said was “one of the main reasons why I was able to come out successful on Monday night”.

“I could not forsee myself competing in this pageant without her by my side,” she said.

Nanton also expressed gratitude to her family and significant other for their unwavering support. She also thanked her sponsor, the National Lotteries Authority, the Carnival Development Corporation, the Beauty Shows Committee, the Argyle International Airport and her constituency of North Windward and area representative Montgomery Daniel for the continued support throughout her journey.

She also expressed gratitude to her talent coordinator, Maxwell “Tajoe” Francis, for dedicating time to work with her, photographer Dwight Bennett, who worked on her promotional video, and the general public.

“I thank them all so much for their love and support, it made me feel like they were there with me and cheering me on. I was very happy to have the opportunity to represent them and I was able to come out successful,” she said.

The first runner-up position was taken by Miss Antigua and Barbuda, while Miss Nevis walked away in the second runner-up position.