CASTELFIORENTINO. Twenty-one years old and the crown of Miss Tuscany on the same day. A birthday that Miriam Bongiorni will hardly forget. She bursts with happiness when Alessandro Greco calls her name: the crown of the most beautiful in Tuscany is hers.
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Deep down, she hoped a little. Walking in front of the technical jury after talking about her aspirations – «I would like to be an actress» – and her favorite actor, Stefano Accorsi, she added: «Tomorrow (today, ed.) is my birthday». An almost prophetic phrase. Because a few hours later, just after midnight, the dream came true.
Miriam celebrated her twenty-first birthday in the most special way, winning the Miss Tuscany sash at the Teatro del Popolo in Castelfiorentino (Fi), which takes her directly to the national finals. A new, important milestone in her Miss Italy journey, which began during the summer with the Tuscan selections organized by the Syriostar agency. She arrived at the final among the favorites, strong from the sashes won in previous selections. Among these was also Miss Giglio d’Oro.
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On the Miss Tuscany podium were also Aurora Tomasetti, from Pontedera, who took second place, and Giorgia Gonnelli, from Cecina. Fourth place went to Aurora Lomi, from Viareggio.
For Miriam, a second-year student of Nursing at the University of Pisa and engaged in an internship in the facilities of the North-West ASL, the path of beauty runs alongside her studies. «The nursing path allows me to deepen both scientific culture and that of the human body, combined with sensitivity and empathy,» she says. The decision to participate in the contest came mainly from the desire to challenge herself and live a new experience. «We are a group of beautiful girls,» Miriam said, explaining that she chose to participate also to meet new people and compare herself with other girls. Dance and sport have always been part of her life. Miriam practiced rhythmic gymnastics at a competitive level for fourteen years and today she dedicates herself to modern dance. A passion that continues to accompany her and that, she says, allows her to convey emotions without the need for words. Her teachers also encouraged her towards the national Miss Italy contest.
«I embarked on this path not only relying on the beauty attributed to me, but also on the simplicity, humility, and elegance that I believe make me different,» she told the technical jury, before whom she also spoke about her aspirations and the desire to continue challenging herself. The technical jury included, among others, Samantha Togni, Eleonora Di Miele, and Flavio Ubirti, as well as the mayor of Castelfiorentino Francesca Giannì. Great satisfaction from her parents, Monica Donati and Stefano Bongiorni, and her boyfriend.
For Miriam, in short, the birthday gift came directly from the runway, a few minutes after she turned 21. Thirty girls competed. Many stories to tell: some aspire to become pilots of the Frecce Tricolori, some have danced as classical ballerinas at the Vienna Opera House, some work as flight attendants. Many athletes: a tennis player who is part of the professional circuit, a Serie C footballer, a referee. A miss who defeated illness. «My story teaches that after a fall you can get back up».
In light of the victory at Miss Tuscany, Miriam Bongiorni (who also won the Miss Social title as the most voted) passes her Miss Giglio d’oro sash to the Florentine Benedetta Pascucci who is qualified for the pre-finals along with Marta Schiumarini from Florence, Giorgia Gonnelli from Cecina, Aurora Lomi from Viareggio, Aurora Tomasetti from Pontedera, Marta Creta and Francesca Mollo from Florence, Viola Zacek from Lucca, Noemi Farina from Greve, Giorgia Petrelli from Vinci, Bianca Minucci from Grosseto, all winners of the so-called satellite titles, linked to the contest sponsors. On Wednesday the Tuscan team will be in Rome for the national pre-finals while Miriam Bongiorni can already think about the final.
