BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – WE have heard the stories in the past of how some contestants overcame adversities to succeed in pageantry, and most recently there was another amazing example of that with 22-year-old Masinda Nisbett of Nevis.
We saw her glory when she captured four of the six segments at the LIME Miss Black San Swimsuit Pageant, winning the Carib Black & Yellow, Creative Wear, Cane Juice and Body Paint.
For the body paint segment, she stunned everyone as Vaughn Anslyn masterly painted her as the lady of the Brimstone Hill Fortress in the 1600’s. Her body was painted as an exact replica of our Historic Fortress at the front and a war cannon Ball adorned her back.
Her story - On the day of the show, Sunday April 8, Nisbett, in an exclusive interview with SKNVibes.com, said that the unimaginable occurred.
She woke up with a terrible flu and explained that she could barely move then.
“I attended my practice session and started feeling weak and was constantly throwing up,” she said.
Two hours before show time, she decided to go to the hospital as she was not feeling any better.
“I decided to go to the hospital just two hours before show time, not certain of what would happen. The nurse gave me two injections which made it very hard to walk. I kept asking myself if I should just quit,” she said.
Nisbett had a temperature of 101 degrees and said that she was encouraged to still participate even though she was having doubts.
“My chaperons reassured me that sick or not I could accomplish this. I feel blessed and I’m very happy that I didn’t let the flu deter me from achieving my goal. Winning this competition means much more to me than my other pageants not only because of my hard work but because of my determination to overcome,” she said.
Nisbett has had a successful showing in pageantry. She won the Miss Culture Pageant in 2009, winning seven of the ten judged segments.
She has placed second runner-up in the National Carnival Queen Pageant; she won Best Swimsuit in the Miss Caribbean Culture; was winner of the Bull’s Gym Body Building and Fitness Competition; Winner of JC’s Women’s Fitness Competition in 2011 hosted in St. Maarten and first runner-up in the Miss Venus Swimsuit Pageant in 2010.
“I think that all of my pageant experiences combined have helped to build my confidence and determination for success. Although every pageant has its differences, I feel that each one has molded me in different ways, and each definitely contributed to my success.”
Along with winning several prizes, she has received another opportunity to capture the Miss Venus Pageant title.
“Reentering the Miss Venus competition serves as a thrilling second chance opportunity. I started pageantry at the age of 19 and have grown to love it. Being able to represent my Federation another time is an utmost blessing and my team and I will work hard to ensure I reach my full potential.
One is seldom successful in pageantry without the help of skilled and knowledgeable persons working hard in the background to ensure their contestant is top quality; those persons include chaperones, support team and talented individuals with vision.
The newly crowned queen, apart from thanking God for seeing her through her illness, reaffirmed the belief that through God all things are possible.
“Secondly, I thank my chaperons Lydia McIntosh and Kimberly ‘Sashe’ Ward for their hard work and continuous support; my father Masefield Nisbett for molding me into shape with his personal training expertise; my mother Florinda Gumbs for all her love and continuous support.
“My rock Sammy Matthew, Davina Doras-Cranstoun, Jacintha Cranstoun, Levar Flanders, Vaughn Anslyn, Barbara Hardtman, AliDee, Osheema Mills, The Spirit Committee and everyone who represented #TeamMasy, thank you!”
She added: “I am extremely honoured to hold the title of Miss Black San’ Bang-a-Lang 2012”.
