Former Miss Universe Catriona Gray was formally named by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) as one of its local ambassadors for the upcoming 2023 FIBA World Cup on Thursday morning during a press conference for the one-year countdown to the staging of the tournament.
The 28-year-old Filipino-Australian model has emerged as a global icon and is also known by many as a youth ambassador and arts advocate. And for her, having the opportunity to help promote the country’s co-hosting of the FIBA World Cup serves as an avenue to ignite the pride and passion of her fellow Filipinos, especially in the game of basketball.
“I think it’s really the pride that is overflowing from our kababayans when we see each other excel, and what more so in the stage of sports and in basketball,” she said.
“As spectators, I hope we can bring more audiences to appreciate the sport of basketball and appreciate the passion that comes from being a Pinoy in basketball ‘din.”
Indeed, Gray is no stranger to receiving the warm support of Filipino fans after she represented the country in the 2018 Miss Universe competition where she successfully brought home the crown.
Now being fielded in a different arena beyond pageantry, she is hoping that her countrymen can show the same level of support and rally behind Gilas Pilipinas as they compete with the world’s best basketball teams in the upcoming World Cup.
“It really reminds me of that feeling of support that I had when I also represented our country on an international stage and now being able to not only represent the Philippines once again in this capacity but to also encourage our countrymen to express their support and love for our athletes as they go out there and represent and really carry high the Philippine flag in the arena of sports because it brings me so much pride and joy,” Gray continued.
“I really looked forward to warmly welcoming the world’s eyes and also our visitors here to the Philippines knowing that we will have a celebration like no other.”
And as an ambassador, Gray vowed that she will aim to promote the country, its fans, and its culture in the best way possible.
“I hope that we can use the platform to share everything that there is to love about our country of the Philippines. Because we’re not just beautiful beaches and good food and hospitable people,” she claimed.
“I would love to be sharing our culture — the values that are instilled in us as Filipinos — and what more of a better way to do that than to warmly welcome people, to display our culture proudly in all of its aspects, and show them that there are no better fans than here in the Philippines.”
