Miss Costa Rica 2022 is María Fernanda Rodríguez Ávila


María Fernanda Rodríguez Ávila bested eight other finalists to be crowned Miss Costa Rica 2022 on Wednesday, September 28 in San José.

The 24-year-old beauty from San Carlos is a model, civil engineer, and trilingual. She succeeds Valeria Rees and will represent Costa Rica at the 71st Miss Universe pageant in New Orleans, Louisiana this January.

Kristell Ruiz Freeman, 25, and Mariella Conejo Benavides, 27, were the first and second runners-up, respectively.

The new Miss Costa Rica is no stranger to pageantry. She was named Miss Earth Costa Rica 2017 and participated in the Miss Earth 2017 pageant held in the Philippines.

Costa Rica has yet to win Miss Universe since its debut at the international pageant in 1954. The country has however placed in the Top 10 four times in the last 20 years.


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