The Philippines' Chantal Schmidt finished as first runner-up in Miss Eco International 2024. The Miss Philippines/Facebook 

Chantal Schmidt nearly won the Philippines' third Miss Eco International crown. 

The country's representative finished first runner-up in the 2024 edition of the pageant held in Egypt on Sunday (early morning of Monday in the Philippines).

She also won Best National Costume, alongside delegates from Nigeria, Ecuador, Ukraine, and Canada.

Angelina Usanova from Ukraine was proclaimed Miss Eco International 2024, with candidates from Canada, Brazil, and Indonesia completing the Top 5.

In her speech during the question and answer segment, Schmidt stressed that "there is no wrong way to be a woman," citing her own experience as both a beauty queen and aspiring lawyer. 

"I stand here as an aspiring lawyer and also a beauty queen. I am someone who breaks stereotypes but also embraces them. I am a woman in a male-dominated industry but I am also a woman in a female-dominated industry," she said.  

"And I think pageants empower women in the sense that they teach us that there is no wrong way to be a woman. Any way to be a woman is an amazing way, whether that's through pageantry and the glitz and glamour, or roughing it out in male-dominated industries. Regardless of where you are, regardless of who you are, you see yourself in one of these women, and that is something to be proud of," she added. 

Schmidt was hoping to win the Philippines' third Miss Eco International title after Kathleen Paton and Cynthia Thomalla. 

On its social media pages, The Miss Philippines praised its delegate for pushing through "despite suffering a health setback in your journey."

"You decided to push on through sheer will and dedication. We couldn't ask for more," the organization said. "Congratulations on winning Miss Eco International 2024 1st runner-up, and thank you for representing the country so well, Chantal. You have made us proud."