Spartan Health Club, organisers of the Miss Jamaica World contest, is expressing delight at the performance of Solange Sinclair at the Miss World finals in China on Saturday.

Sinclair finished in the Top 10 of the competition which was eventually won by Manushi Chhillar of India.

This is the first queen sent to Miss World by Spartan Health Club after relinquishing the franchise in 2012 after a 36-year-run.

Managing director Mickey Haughton-James said Sinclair’s performance is a real confidence booster for the franchise.

“We at Spartan are ecstatic at having our first representative since re-acquiring the franchise place in the Top 10 out of more than 100 countries that participated in Miss World 2017. We are pleased that Jamaica has once again taken the title of Continental Queen of Beauty for the Caribbean,” he said.

Haughton-James also heaped praise on Sinclair for her efforts.

“While the Miss Jamaica World 2017 team takes pride in this success, full credit must go to Miss Sinclair for her disciplined and brilliant preparation for the Miss World contest, including producing her own introductory video, which she did at the famous Blue Grotto in Portland and which was a tremendous hit at Miss World and on social media. We look forward to working with her and her projects as Miss Jamaica World,” he said.

As the franchise holder since 1976, Spartan Health Club and Haughton-James has won the Miss World title on two occasions with Cindy Breakspeare (1976) and Lisa Hanna (1993). Jamaica first won the Miss World title in 1963 with Carole Joan Crawford.

In addition to the wins, Sinclair adds to an impressive list of beauties sent by Spartan between 1976 and 2012, who have done well at Miss World.

These include Debbie Campbell, who placed third in 1979; Michell Harris made it to the Top 15; Sandra Cunningham was also third in 1981; Cathi Levy fourth in 1983; while Allison Barnett finished fifth in 1985.

In 1990, Erica Aquart made it to the Top 10 and took home the Caribbean Queen of Beauty title. The success was repeated the following year by Sandra Foster, who made it to the Top 5. In 1997 Jamaica’s Michelle Moodie did not make it to the Top 10, but captured the title for the Caribbean.

Jamaica returned to the Top 10 in 1998 with Christine Straw and captured the regional beauty title. The 1999 queen Desiree Depass also captured the regional title despite not making Top 10. Jade Fulford made Top 20 in 2003 and was crowned Caribbean Queen of Beauty. In 2004 Jamaica’s Tonoya Toyloy took home the Miss World scholarship award.

Terri-Karelle Griffith made it to the Top 15 in 2005, while Sara Lawrence made it to the Top 6 and took home the Caribbean title the following year. Yendi Phillipps made Top 16 in 2007. Deanna Robbins took it to the Top 7 in 2012 and brought back the Caribbean title to Jamaica.