by Kristen Ku

BELIZE CITY, Mon. Apr. 15, 2024

On Saturday night, Halima Hoy, a 29-year-old kinesiology student from Port Loyola, was crowned Miss Universe Belize 2024 at the Belize City Civic Center.

Hoy, along with Maryam Abdul-Qawiyy and Myra Sibrian, led the group of ten contestants as the top three contenders. Abdul-Qawiyy was named the first runner-up, while Sibrian took the position of second runner-up.

Additional awards of the night went to Fany Mejia for Miss Congeniality, and Shaenna Gilharry as Miss Photogenic, while Hoy also clinched the prize for Miss Universe Skin Care.

Raised in Belize City, Hoy is also a NASM-certified personal trainer and a certified pre/postnatal fitness coach. Her advocacy platform, “Healthy Belize,” focuses on educating Belizeans about health issues prevalent in underprivileged communities, such as hypertension, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes.

Following her victory, an overwhelmed Hoy commented, “Ever since they called my name on that stage, I’ve been in this cloud, and it’s just me and God here. I have to thank Him first and foremost for my placement today. I have put in the hard work, so I know that I deserve to be here, because I’ve been living, eating, and breathing Miss Universe Belize for the past couple of months. Everything that I do, I do for this title.”

Her vision extends beyond the national stage as she prepares to represent Belize at the 71st Miss Universe Pageant in Mexico on September 28. “I really want to put Belize on the map at Miss Universe in Mexico, and I’ll do anything in my power,” she said.

In addition to her achievements, Hoy is actively involved in sponsoring a child in Bangladesh and donating educational and recreational resources to local schools and childcare centers in Belize.

Destinee Arnold, the national director of the House of Crowns, praised the strong field of candidates this year and expressed her satisfaction with Hoy’s win.

“I couldn’t be any happier. We had a very strong group of delegates this year and she encompasses all that we are looking for. She’s personable, she’s beautiful inside and out, she’s relatable, and she cares about Belize. So, we are in very good hands on that international stage in Mexico,” Arnold said.