Bahamian Kenneth Kerr in the lion-fish costume.
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SEOUL, Korea - International Caribbean male model and reigning Mr
Bahamas International Kenneth Kerr is moments away from learning if he
will win the title of Mr. International 2015. Kerr and Mr. Puerto Rico
are the only two contestants from the Caribbean region. He also is the
only black finalist.
“It’s interesting but I see it as an
advantage more than a disadvantage,” said Kerr noting the distinction.
“I stand out when we go on our public appearances but I certainly
haven’t experienced anything negative from anyone while here. In fact,
I’ve had to be quite aware of things within the Bahamian, Caribbean and
African-American community especially since it’s Black History Month.”
The
Freeport native has already swooned social media after a video of him
turning a fitness session with Mr. Indonesia into a dance off hit the
pageant pages.
"That was unexpected!" Kerr said from the set of a
photo shoot with the 20 other finalists from Asia, South America, Europe
and Canada. "But then again, I’ve been getting so much love from people
who don't even speak the language I speak contacting me and wanting to
get to know Mr. Bahamas."
Kerr gave Korea a taste of the islands when he displayed his Junkanoo Carnival themed costume, depicting a lionfish.
Grand Bahama's Kenneth Kerr, Mister Bahamas.
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"The
costume was designed by Anton Dean of Bahamas Masqueraders and during
my presentation, I explained the wealth of our tropical waters that
boast a variety of species and lure visitors from around the globe. I
also mentioned our renowned seafood cuisine that includes recipes for
lionfish. And of course the lovely design also gave me an opportunity to
talk about our festive cultural form of expression, Junkanoo and
Junkanoo Carnival."
Kerr added that with major pageants, there are
many things that go into choosing a winner, not just the few hours they
are on stage for the final night.
“I’m actually about to go into
the final preliminaries now so hopefully, the judges will see something
in me that piques their interest,” Kerr said. “I’m not nervous at all. I
think at this point, I am just anxious to get back to my fitness
routines, my amazing support system who have encouraged me daily, some
Bahamian cooking and my bed because after this whirlwind of tours and
events, I could use a good nap after nearly 20 hours of travelling.”
Even
if he doesn’t win the title, Kerr said he plans to continue modelling.
Over the past two years, he has become one of the few Caribbean male
breakout stars to hit international runways. He also wants to focus on
fitness, especially with youth, a passion he has had since coaching
gymnastics while pursuing a degree in Education.
The popular pageant site Missosology has placed Kenneth in the Top lists for Interview, Body, and Costume.
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