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Saturday, June 7, 2014
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Thursday, June 5, 2014
Miss USA Prepares to Pass on the Crown
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Miss USA Erin Brady can't believe her yearlong reign is coming to an end while a new journey for one of the 51 women seeking to replace her is just beginning.
"It's less than a week away now," Brady said in an interview with The Associated Press. "The countdown has begun." Brady, of South Glastonbury, Connecticut, relinquishes her crown Sunday when the 2014 pageant competition being held in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, selects a new Miss USA. Preliminary competitions in swimsuit and evening gown were scheduled for Wednesday at the Baton Rouge River Center. On Thursday, all 51 contestants will interview with judges to complete the preliminary competition. The top 20 will be chosen following the preliminary events and announced on Sunday. During her tenure, Brady said she's worked hard to break stereotypes about pageants and the women who compete in them. A graduate of Central Connecticut State University in finance, Brady said after her reign ends she plans to return to New York and pursue a job that can use her knowledge to serve a global market.
"We're very intelligent women with great personalities," she said. The women have been in Louisiana's capital city for more than a week, preparing for the contest that will propel one of them to the Miss Universe pageant later this year. They've visited a few of south Louisiana's plantations and other landmarks, including the old state capitol and governor's mansion, tasted some of the state's cuisine and cut loose a little at a karaoke bar.
"I'm so blessed and so happy to be here," said Miss Idaho Yvette Bennett. "It's been so magical and amazing. Everyone's been so nice and welcoming." NBC will broadcast Sunday's competition at 7 p.m. CDT in a three-hour show that will include musical performances by country music hit-makers Florida-Georgia Line, rapper Nelly and Louisiana native Marc Broussard, whose set will include an appearance by the Dirty Dozen Brass Band.
Fans also will have the chance to save their favorite contestant during the evening gown competition through Twitter, using #SaveTheQueen along with a keyword that will be provided on screen during the live telecast.
Bennett, an art and communications graduate of Boise State, said if she wins the title, she hopes her success would help to inspire and motivate young girls. "I want to make sure they know that they can pursue their dreams no matter what and to remind them that they can make their dreams a reality," she said.
Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Monday, June 2, 2014
Sunday, June 1, 2014
Kamryn Blackwood prepares for Miss USA competition
FARMINGTON — Kamryn Blackwood first decided she wanted to be Miss USA in 2012. After years of hard work, her dreams are on the verge of coming true. Blackwood, the current Miss New Mexico USA, will compete in the preliminary Miss USA competition on Wednesday and in the finals on Sunday. The final competition will be broadcast live on NBC.
Blackwood has spent the last week in Louisiana where she has been making daily appearances and gotten to know the other competitors. "It's my fourth day and I'm having the time of my life," Blackwood said when reached by phone on Thursday. She said the competitors are all nice and want the best for each other.
"We're really just kind of learning what we need to do," she said. She has been mentally preparing for the preliminaries — which consists of a personal interview and gown and swimming suit previews. While preparing, she is also trying to stay relaxed. "It can get really stressful quickly," she said.
Blackwood said being an athlete and having an athlete's mind-set has given her an advantage because she can compartmentalize and understand that "when I step on the court, it's court time and when I'm in a classroom its class time." Because of this, she said she is able to give all of herself to whatever she is doing.
Blackwood's athletic career recently ended with her final collegiate tennis tournament in April. She described the experience as sort of surreal. As she played in her last game, she said she thought back to the day when she decided to put in the practice time to get onto a college tennis team. She also thought about when she received the tennis scholarship to play at Nova Southeastern University in Florida.
"Time really flew by," Blackwood said. She says her time as Miss New Mexico USA has taught her about staying true to who she is. "With all of the publicity that comes with it, people can lose themselves really quickly," she said.
She said she is anxious about Wednesday's preliminaries. "It really is in God's hands," she said.
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