Marina Papaelia
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Myshimarina (Marina) Papaelia was Miss Egypt and chosen to represent Egypt in the 1953 Miss World pageant. The pageant took place on October 19, 1953 in London, England, 15 contestants participated. The sultry Greek-Egyptian brunette was odds on favorite to win the event that year. Expecting to win, she screamed and fainted when they announced as the new Miss World Denise Perrier, Miss France.
At a luncheon with the press and photographers, the contestants were told to show up conservatively dressed in simple dresses or suits. All did except for Marina, who appeared in a low-cut gown which fell off her shoulders.
She also spoke 5 languages, including fluent insults in all five. After one night in the same hotel room with her, Miss Denmark, Ingrid Anderson, ran screaming into the hall demanding a new room-mate. Miss Egypt then had the room all to herself, because no-one else would move in with her.
In the end the judges might have been trying to prove a point when they chose Denise Perrier, an ordinary convent schoolgirl with a demure personality (she wore make-up for the first time in her life in this event) over Marina's more colorful behavior. Marina recovered after her shock of losing and continued to participate in the subsequent news interviews and photo sessions. It was said that Marina commented to a news reporter later, "I theenk she steenk!". Her escapades are still talked about among pageant fans. In Eric Morely's 1967 book, "The Miss World Story" he wrote:
"...despite the headaches and frights she gave me at the time I shall always remember her as one of the outstanding figures, in every way, among all those who have entered the contest at any time."
According to Eric Morely's 1967 book, "The Miss World Story", the following year when Miss Egypt Antigone Costanda won the 1954 Miss World pageant, she claimed her victory that year was also a victory for Marina Papaelia.
