In 1955 Maureen Hingert was crowned 1st Runner-Up at the Miss Universe Pageant. Sixty-one years later a vibrant 24-year old teacher created history by becoming the 1st Runner-Up at the recently concluded Miss Intercontinental Sri Lanka 2016. Her name is Tracy Ann De Zilva.
Like every other little girl Tracy had a dream of being a princess and wearing a beautiful crown. “My sister and I would spend countless hours dressing up and doing our hair and make-up and pretending that we were princesses from distant lands”, reminisces Tracy of her childhood. A student of Stafford International School, Tracy was always incredibly friendly and loves meeting new people, especially children. Small wonder then that she would pursue her studies in pre-school and sub-primary education before taking up a post as a teacher at the British School.
Tracy’s first step in to the glamorous world of modeling was for a cover-shoot of a wedding magazine, after which Ramani Fernando encouraged her to take part in the national pageant for Miss Intercontinental 2016 which is organized the Rotary Club. Tracy was selected as our sunny island’s representative of beauty with a cause from among 15 participants. “My experience of taking part in the national pageant was unforgettable. The responsibility of taking Sri Lanka to a global platform was also great, made even greater by the fact that the pageant was being held in my home country. But there was so much support and encouragement from my family and friends, and I was determined to make everyone proud”, says Tracy.
During the national and international pageant Tracy was trained by the likes of Dinesh Chandrasena among a host of other fashion industry stalwarts which she says gave her an edge of global participants from 60 nations. “The international pageant was a completely different experience to the national pageant. We had to wake up very early in the morning and there was so much to prepare for. Each day was a new experience and new challenge, and the most important part was wearing my best smile at all times. It was also a lot of fun to meet girls with so many different stories from around the world. Although we spent only a few weeks together, we have made lifelong friendships which are of the fondest things about the whole experience”.
“If not for my amazing support system, I would never have gotten this far. My parents and boyfriend Jeehan were constantly running up and down transporting me and my outfits. Jeehan has been just amazing and so understanding and my friends have also been there to encourage and cheer me on. I’m also extremely thankful to everyone at British School for being so warm and encouraging before and after the pageant.”
Being one of the humblest souls one would come across Tracy still feel that “the moment” was like a dream come true. She says at first she couldn’t believe her ears and was in a state of shock until they walked up to her with the sash and crown. One of the best part post-pageant has been the warmth that Tracy has been embraced with from across Sri Lanka. “It is absolutely adorable how my 6-12 year old students who meet me anywhere come up to me and say they saw me on the news or on TV or on their parent’s phones.”
With the title comes many great responsibilities for Tracy. Not only is she now an ambassador for the country but is also required to give of her time and efforts to various charity programs. Balancing her career, education (she is currently following a degree in Business Management), love for rifle-shooting and being a role-model for young women and girls from around the globe, Tracy finds little time for herself. Yet she has an interesting set of future plans for herself which range from participating in one more international pageant, eventually taking over her family business and building a school for underprivileged children in a rural area in Sri Lanka.
One of Tracy’s most striking features is her smile that lights up her entire face and seems to come from deep within her heart. With it she indeed captured the hearts of fellow contestants who voted her Miss Personality at the national pageant. At the international pageant judges were blown away by her intelligence and simplicity, and now a nation looks up to her. Yet she remains rooted and true to herself. She laughs genuinely even at the smallest joke and her laughter resonates with a love for life.
Here’s just a little bit of the vibrant personality that is Tracy Ann Zilva…
Box Information
Full Name: Tracy Ann De Zilva
DOB: 5th December 1992
School: Stafford International School
Profession: Teacher at British School in Colombo
Family: Parents and Sister
Pets: Dog – Sparky
Hobbies: Solo Singing, Free-Style Dancing, Eating and Rifle Shooting
Song That Describes Tracy: “Cool Girl” by Tove Lo
Role Models: Her Parents
Life Quote: “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for your life, because you become what you believe.”
Favourites
- Movie: The Great Gatsby
- Food: Chinese
- Person: Her Boyfriend Jeehan
5 Most Important People in Your Life
Mum
Dad
Sister
Boyfriend
Grandma
4 Favourite Places to Travel To
Paris
Greece
Bahamas
Venice
3 Fears
Snakes
Thanatophobia (Fear of Death)
Fear of Losing a Loved One
2 Things You Can’t Live Without
Family
My Phone
1 Regret in Life
If I could go back to change the answer to the final question asked at the pageant.
By Nishu Hassim
Photo Credits: Suren Nimalan
Location: Bread Talk, Park Street, Colombo 2.