Will 2007 be the year when Asia achieves its first pageant double by winning both Miss Universe and Miss World - the two oldest and most prestigious beauty contests on earth?

Asian beauty pageant fans and pundits are eagerly anticipating this year's Miss World finals in Sanya, China, this Saturday in the aftermath of Miss Japan Riyo Mori's triumph at the 2007 Miss Universe pageant.

Expectations of a good showing at Miss World are high as a bumper crop of stunning Asian beauties this year have strutted to success at international beauty pageants.

At the Miss Universe pageant in Mexico in May, Miss Korea Honey Lee came in fourth, while Miss India and Miss Thailand also made the top 15. India and Thailand also came in second in this year's Miss Earth and Miss Tourism Queen International pageants, respectively.

Come this Saturday, millions of Chinese will be hoping that their country will have its first Miss World, and first-ever major global pageant winner.

And they have good reason to be optimistic as Miss China Zhang Zi Lin, a 23-year-old company secretary from Beijing, is one of the hot favourites to win the crown.

The tallest contestant from Asia at 1.82m, she is already through to the semi-finals after winning the Top Model competition - one of five "fast-track" subsidiary contests which propels the winner into the semi-final.

Miss China had also placed second in the earlier Beach Beauty competition, which was won by Miss Dominican Republic Ada De La Cruz - another hot favourite to be Miss World.

The closest China has come to winning the crown was a third-place finish in 2003, when the resort town of Sanya on southern Hainan island first played host to the pageant.

Miss World has been held in Sanya since - with the exception of last year when Poland staged the contest.

With the return of the pageant to China this year, Miss World chairman Julia Morley - who is also the head of the judging panel - may want to reward the host country for the years of warm welcome.

The other Asian beauty touted as a top contender for the title is Miss Malaysia Deborah Henry, a 22-year-old model.

Of Indian-Irish descent, the 1.78m tall Eurasian lass is the best candidate our neighbour has sent to the Miss World pageant since 1998 - when another Eurasian beauty Lina Teoh did Malaysia proud by finishing third.

With this hot duo blazing the way, an Asian double looks set to sashay our way.
WHAT: Miss World 2007 live telecast
WHEN: Saturday 8pm
WHERE: Star World (StarHub Cable TV Channel 18)

- TODAY/ym