Dowdie tops Miss Bikini Jamaica International
MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Four months after its delay the Miss Bikini Jamaica International competition returned with its 11th staging at Neil’s Auditorium in Mandeville with Suzan Dowdie copping the top title.
In addition to receiving the top honours, Dowdie was also awarded Best Figure.
Gabrielle Whyte was second and Moya-Maye Nanan placed third with Olivia Harley fourth.
Dowdie, a construction forewoman and executive director for Lil Suz Foundation, said although she was severely affected by Hurricane Melissa ravaged her Giddy Hall, St Elizabeth, home, but she rose above her challenges.
“Melissa knocked me down, and I am currently helping a lot of people in Giddy Hall… that is where Lil Suz Foundation came in. Currently we are building houses in Giddy Hall for persons whose homes were damaged and destroyed during the hurricane. I sheltered a lot of people in my home during and after the storm,” she shared.
Event organiser Dwight Dunn said, despite the setbacks, he plans to take the show to Florida next year.
“The show was originally planned for December 2025. I moved the show from the hurricane season to April, because of what happened with Melissa,” he said.
Dunn told the Jamaica Observer the competition originally had 12 contestants.
“We had a few of them who got marooned in Melissa. They were seriously affected. Several of them pulled out because of financial strain, so we had about 10 remaining. As the show went on [some contestants] their finances couldn’t keep up with the training…” he explained.
The event was conceptualised 12 years ago, starting at James Bond Beach in Oracabessa, St Mary. It then moved to Kingston for eight years. In 2020 the event was moved to Mandeville as a virtual show, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022, however, it returned to its original format.
Miss Bikini Jamaica International Suzan Dowdie receives her trophy from event conceptualiser Dwight Dunn. Kasey Williams
Seven contestants in the Miss Bikini Jamaica International competition strike poses onstage. Kasey Williams
