Never did Sylvania’s Robyn Canner think she would be standing on stage wearing a sash, a sparkly dress and a crown. But the massage therapist who has operated her home business for the past 33 years, walked away with quite the major global pageant win.
Ms Canner won Ms World 2018 in Seattle in June this year – shortly after her 60th birthday. With 22 countries represented, the pageant beauty queens were aged 26-plus. Contestants were judged on fitness wear, evening gown, an interview and panel question.
“I was up against a lot of younger women and won – so it’s one more for the oldies,” Ms Canner said. “There was no stigma on age anymore.”
Her son, 22, died of non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma seven years ago, and she has been passionate about doing cancer charity work since.
“Somehow I found pageantry and then found myself on World Class Beauty Queen magazine covers in the US and Europe,” she said. “It was inspiring and character-building – it encouraged me to keep going.”
