Bradley Clarke, a 21-year-old final year Cruise Shipping & Marine Tourism student at the Caribbean Maritime University, finished in third place at the recently held Mr Teen Universe International pageant.

The finals took place on November 15 in Panama.  The winner is Andrés Nunes from Paraguay while Venezuela’s Brayan Mendoza finished in second place and won the title of Mr Teen Universe World.

Clarke, who was named Mr Teen Universe Tourism, was selected as Jamaica’s representative to the pageant in August.

“I always had the dream of being an inspiration to youths both locally and internationally. I knew representing my country at Mr Teen Universe International in Panama would assist me in achieving this goal and so said, so done,” Clarke told Observer Online earlier this week.

Clarke explained how he prepared for the international competition.

“Preparations for this competition were not easy, due to the lack of experienced male pageant trainers in Jamaica; however, with hard work, dedication and discipline, you can achieve anything you put your mind to. For my physique, I did routine workouts at my official gym sponsor, Fit Farm Fitness Club. My team assisted me with speech and presentation training, with the assistance of Xavier McFarlane from the Jamaican Association for Debating and Empowerment Limited, to be able to speak with confidence, substance and clarity,” he shared. “I received excellent cultural and tourism product training about Jamaica from Miss Belinda Sutherland-Dowe, facilitator from the Tourism Product Development Company.  I did my own research on ways to walk, and I experimented with various hairstyles with my stylist, Hair By Nastascia, to find the best style for a Spanish-based competition. Everything was done with the intention of standing out during the competition.”

He described competing in Panama as a once in a lifetime experience.

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I will take with me for the rest of my life! The moment I landed in Panama, I felt at home because of the warmth the Panamanian people met me with, breathtaking infrastructure and as a true foodie, I enjoyed their cuisine,” said Clarke while highlighting what he enjoyed most about being in Panama.

“The people made my stay in Panama magical, it is the reason why a part of my heart will always be in Panama because our countries share the same sentiment of community, no matter your race, gender or socioeconomic background, we are all one. This is why Jamaica has a strong relationship with Panama, as we know Jamaicans assisted in the creation of the Panama Canal, which connects the world in global logistics operations,” he said.

He described the feeling when he was announced as the second runner-up at the international competition.

“History was already made with me becoming the first Jamaican representative at Mr Teen Universe International, then I made it to Top 5 where I knew I would excel due to my passion for public speaking and when my country’s name was called as 2nd runner-up, I felt content, the feeling of knowing you gave it your all since day one and it was acknowledged by my fellow brothers, judges, staff, supporters both local and international, my heart was full of pride and honour. I secured the international title of Mr Teen Universe International Tourism 2025, not only for me, but for my country, for young men who look like me and for anyone who dares to dream big. All praises go to God for guidance along the way, because without Him, I am nothing,” Clarke reasoned.

Clarke is originally from Hanover but later relocated to St Andrew where he attended Dunrobin Christian Academy (formerly Dunrobin Preparatory) and Meadowbrook High.

“My aspiration in life is to be a vessel of change. I want to inspire youths to stay true to themselves and their goals, no matter how hard it may be. I want them to see my story and use it as motivation in getting to where they want to be. No dream is too big, once you set your mind to it, with proper planning, dedication and patience. Using my God-given talents such as speech, singing and a passion for tourism, I will continue to be a trailblazer in the world of male pageantry and further cement Jamaica’s influence internationally. This is just the beginning,” Clarke stated.