Limerick pride: City’s son nets Mr World title

A LIMERICK man has been crowned Mr World in a competition that set out to find the most desirable man on the planet.

Judges were looking for a for James Bond-type, who possesses sex appeal, physical stamina, humanitarian ideals and fine manners.

And they found all this in 24-year-old Irish model, Kamal Ibrahim who picked up €37,300 ($50,000) in prize money and a host of lucrative modelling contracts at the Mr World finals in South Korea on Saturday when he took the prize.

Kamal said his win would be a huge boost to Limerick. “I think pride is the strongest feeling right now; I keep thinking of my country, my family, my girlfriend,” he said, after winning the top prize.

He said he can’t wait to come back to Limerick and his win proves that “Limerick people are just as good as everyone else”.

Contestants had to volunteer for Habitat for Humanity International and take to the runway in a charity fashion show for the International Vaccine Institute (IVI). They were also tested on their Korean cuisine cooking skills and taekwondo moves.

Mr Ibrahim – who is a second cousin of Danny DeVito – said his goal was to make it into the top 15 in the competition but added that he was shocked by the win. He is on the books of model agency B Scene and has worked in Limerick promoting the Trinity Rooms nightclub.

He was crowned Mr Ireland at the national finals at Limerick’s Strand Hotel last August. The Mr World finals were presented by singer and Strictly Come Dancing judge Alesha Dixon. Kamal beat off strong competition from 73 contestants to win the title. The Czech Republic’s Josef Karas was runner-up and Nigeria’s Kenneth Okolie was second runner-up.

The judges included a host of previous Mr and Miss World winners.

It is believed up to one billion people around the world tuned in for the final, which was televised in 140 countries.

Kamal’s win follows that of Rosanna Davison who won the Miss World competition in 2004 – not bad for a nation that was voted 16th in a recent list of the world’s best looking people.