A Texas beauty queen has made history as the oldest contestant to participate in the Miss Texas USA pageant.
Marissa Teijo, 71, of El Paso, will represent Texas in the Miss USA pageant.
Teijo will compete against almost 100 competitors this weekend. If she wins, she will represent Texas in the Miss USA competition in August.
This comes as the beauty pageant lifted certain restrictions in an effort to make the organization more inclusive. Now contestants can be older, married, pregnant or divorced.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of this incredible new experience as a contestant in the Miss Texas USA pageant,” Teijo wrote in a recent Instagram caption, accompanied by a professional headshot.
Marissa Teijo (center), a 71-year-old native of El Paso, will represent Texas in the Miss USA pageant
She has made history as the oldest contestant to participate in the Miss Texas USA pageant.
“In doing so, I hope to inspire women to strive to be the best they can be physically and mentally and believe that there is beauty at any age,” she continued.
Her followers joined in in their comments, pledging their unwavering support for the inspiring beauty queen.
‘Gorgeous!! You have my vote!, commented one user.
‘Super proud of you! Amazing, kind and sweet lady, I wish you the best!’ another wrote.
On the Miss USA site, 114 votes appear under her name.
The competition began its two-day contest on Friday at the Hilton Houston Post Oak hotel.
Teijo will compete against nearly 100 competitors this weekend
This comes as the beauty pageant lifted certain restrictions in an effort to make the organization more inclusive. Now contestants can be older, married, pregnant or divorced
If she wins, she will represent Texas in the Miss USA competition in August.
On the Miss USA site, 114 votes appear under her name.
Her followers joined in in their comments and pledged their unwavering support for the inspiring beauty queen.
In April, a The 60-year-old Argentine lawyer hoped to make history by becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant.
Alejandra Rodríguez proved that age is really just a number after being crowned Miss Buenos Aires in early April.
The original rules of the Miss Universe pageant meant that only childless, single women between the ages of 18 and 28 could participate, but that all changed starting in September last year.
Texan R’Bonney Gabriel was the oldest contestant to win the international title in 2022 at the age of 28.
But when the rules changed in 2023 to allow women up to 73 years old to participate, Alejandra jumped at her chance.
In April, Alejandra Rodríguez hoped to make history by becoming the oldest Miss Universe contestant.
The 60-year-old proved that age really is just a number after being crowned Miss Buenos Aires earlier this month.
The intrepid legal advisor, who works in a hospital, told Hello!: ‘I am delighted to represent this new paradigm in beauty pageants, because we are inaugurating a new stage in which women are not only physical beauty, but another whole of values. .
“I’m the first of this generation to start this.”
She credits her lifestyle for helping her maintain her ever-youthful appearance.
‘The basic thing is to have a healthy life, eat well, do physical activity,’ he told the outlet. “Normal care, nothing too extraordinary and a little bit of genetics.”
Speaking about her diet, Alejandra shared: ‘What I try to do is intermittent fasting; I think that helps a lot.
“Then I try to eat organic foods, a lot of fruit, a lot of vegetables and use good creams.”