Miss Mongolia Amarbayasgalan Onolbaatar, 25, was crowned Miss Celebrity International 2023 at the pageant final held at HGH Convention Centre, Sentul in Kuala Lumpur on May 1, 2023
Meanwhile Mister Taiwan Marco Victor Van Schaik, 31, won the Mister Celebrity International 2023 title.
The maiden edition of the competition saw 46 contestants from 26 countries, including China, India, Japan, South Korea, Netherlands, Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Hong Kong, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and host Malaysia, competed for the Miss and Mister titles, which have managed to catch the attention of the world.
Malaysia was represented by Yap Wen Wei who came in third place in the Miss competition, and Terry Tan who won the Best Costume subtitle for his Iban traditional outfit in the Mister competition.
The contestants had taken part in a week of activities, including city tour to Kuala Lumpur and to the historical sites of Melaka, in the run-up to the grand finale.
The event helped to promote Malaysia’s beauty and culture to the global community through the contestants’ respective social media channels.
Beaming with joy, Amarbayasgalan, 25, received the crown from International Celebrity Pageant Group founder and president Lennard Tan.
She claimed the victory after judges were left inspired by her confidence, poise and grace.
The Mongolian model, who stands 176 cm (5’9”) tall, also won the Best Costume subsidiary title.
She said, “I am very happy with this success by bringing home recognition for my country. I think it is the result of my hard work and trying to mobilize myself and actively participating in all the events during the competition.”
Amarbayasgalan said she’s thankful to her agency and Celebrity International pageant team for the opportunity to represent her country in the pageant. She also expressed her gratitude to the competition organizing team for the great support given to her.
Amarbayasgalan lives in Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. She is a graduate from the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences.
“I majored in health social work and I am currently working as a model at Mongol Model Agency.”
Amarbayasgalan started her modelling during her university days and signed up with an agency to get into the industry.
“When I was a little girl, I used to dress up as a model by wearing my mother’s and aunt’s clothes. Ever since I was little, people have persuaded me about pursuing fashion.
“Then, in the spring of my freshman year of university, I started looking for an agency. There are many modeling agencies in Mongolia. I went to see each one, researched and finally chose Mongol Model Agency because I really liked the energy and the teacher’s vibe there.
“I have studied for five years and have been working as a model for three years. The empowering feeling of walking on the stage and being in front of a camera, the vibe and energy of the professionals of this industry who love their work, all these processes give me inspiration. I have never looked back since,” she said.
When asked about her plan on using her new fame, Amarbayasgalan said she is ready for the celebrity spotlight
“A new chapter of my life is beginning with this fame and I will use all my experiences gained from the competition for all my upcoming challenges. And I will try to give inspiration and advice to all aspiring youth out there if I can do it then they can too.”
Being her first time in Malaysia, Amarbayasgalan was bowled over by Malaysian warm hospitality.
“This was my first trip to Malaysia. I really like the weather and nature in Malaysia and the friendliness and hospitality of the people.
“The entire pageant was amazing. Every single one of the events was memorable to me.
“What I liked the most was the “MinNature Malaysia” miniature museum which shows the history of Malaysian culture and development, and I liked that Malaysian culture was featured in mini form. From there it was easier for me to learn the whole history of Malaysia.
“All in all, I loved the challenges we faced during the competition. Besides, I made a lot of new friends from all around the world and experienced the beautiful side of Malaysia which was an eye opening experience for me, especially the Melaka trip.”
Modelling has always been her passion and she said, “Everyone is unique in their own ways and the most important thing to compete in this industry is to develop upon your own uniqueness as well as believing in yourself. So, never give up, there could be opportunities everywhere. Make the most of it when you get the chance.”
Amarbayasgalan usually spends her leisure time swimming, hiking and doing puzzles.
“In general, I do love all sorts of mental and physical activities because they are all very beneficial to keep myself healthy. My hobbies give me a chance to meditate and release myself from unnecessary burdens.”
Marco Victor Van Schaik from Taichung City, Taiwan is of Taiwanese-Dutch descent. The 182cm (6 feet) tall model also bagged the subtitle of Most Confidence.
“When I heard the emcee announced ‘Mister Celebrity International 2023 is Mister Taiwan’, I felt weak in the knees and even choked up twice in the moment. It was just really awesome. I was on cloud nine!
“This representation of Taiwan is significant and competing against contestants from many countries to bring glory to my country is a great feeling, yeah!” he said.
Marco said his win as Mister Celebrity International 2023 has given him a sense of purpose.
“I want everyone to know that if you have dreams or goals, you should go after them courageously. Even if you don’t have relevant experience or knowledge, if it’s what you want, you should thrive hard to achieve them.”
During the competition, Marco said if he were to become Mister Celebrity International champion, he would want to use his influence to inspire others and to share with people in his life and work.
“I will spread the message of zero hate and stop bullying through social media and participate in charity activities to promote global citizenship.”
As a teenage boy, modelling has given Marco an opportunity to fulfil his curiosity for the modelling industry.
“When I was 20 years old, a friend and I saw a modeling competition announcement from a modeling company and found it fascinating and interesting. We decided to go together to audition for the competition, which was similar to this event, with many people competing.
“Although I didn’t win the competition because I was nervous, it was an honour to be there because one of the judges saw something in me and invited me to meet in Taipei. That’s how I began my career as a model.”
Marco has fond memories of the competition and enjoyed the unity forged from meeting many contestants, despite the competitive nature of the event.
“When we train together, we help each other and carry each other. Everyone is very focused and serious about completing each task and performance. After a day’s work, we also relax and eat together. Even though we come from different countries, being in the same place and doing the same thing creates a strong sense of unity and seriousness that I enjoy.”
Marco said he enjoyed the warm welcome from Malaysians and the local food.
“This is my first time in Malaysia and I find Malaysians are very friendly and welcoming. I am surprised by how accepting Malaysians are of people from different countries.
“I already love Malaysian food, coconut dishes and laksa noodles.”
Marco’s advice to aspiring models who dream of making it big in the industry is to “practice in front of the mirror to understand yourself and affirm yourself. Although it takes time and experience, self-improvement and inner cultivation are crucial.”
“Don’t be discouraged by initial failures and difficulties, and don’t be too focused on gains and losses, or you won’t be able to move forward. Taking care of yourself is also essential, especially your physical and mental health. Be a polite person, because I think that is important. Let your aura make people feel comfortable around you,” he said.
In his spare time. Marco enjoys outdoor sports, hiking, the beach and shallow waters.
MISS & MISTER CELEBRITY INTERNATIONAL 2023 OFFICIAL RESULTS (updated):
MISS CELEBRITY INTERNATIONAL 2023
Champion: Amarbayasgalan Onolbaatar (Mongolia)
1st Runner-Up: Nguyen Lam Chau (Vietnam)
2nd Runner-Up: Yap Wen Wei (Malaysia)
Subsidiary Titles
Best Costume: Amarbayasgalan Onolbaatar (Mongolia)
Most Photogenic: Aikyz (Kyrgyzstan)
Most Charming: Aizawa Rinka (Japan)
Network Popularity: Aizawa Rinka (Japan)
Best Catwalk: Rheanne Lai (Taiwan)
Most Elegance: Aysha Faysieva (Uzbekistan)
MISTER CELEBRITY INTERNATIONAL 2023
Champion: Marco Victor Van Schaik (Taiwan)
1st Runner-Up: Dean Theerapat (Thailand)
2nd Runner-Up: Chan Yung Lung (Hong Kong)
Subsidiary Titles
Best Costume: Terry Tan (Malaysia)
Most Photogenic: Dean Theerapat (Thailand)
Most Confidence: Marco Victor Van Schaik (Taiwan)
Network Popularity: Muramatzu Kenta (Japan)
Best Catwalk: Muratbek (Kyrgyzstan)
