Andrew Wolff: Man of the world

MANILA, Philippines - Thanks to his unstoppable winning streak, world-class athlete Andrew Wolff is now on the verge of a radical reinvention.

He did the country proud when he won first runner-up in the recently-concluded 2012 Mr. World pageant held in Kent, England. This was just weeks after he played a pivotal role in steering his team, the Philippine Volcanoes, to a qualifying berth in the 2013 Rugby World Cup Sevens.

With the echoes of applause still ringing in his ears, Andrew is still trying to grasp the sheer gravity and magnitude of his double win. Unwittingly, he has now taken on the crucial, larger-than-life role as the country’s latest source of national pride, rightful ambassador of goodwill, and the perfect epitome of the Filipino gentleman.

“The best part of winning is bringing honor and prestige to our country,” exclaims the 27-year-old athlete. “We’ve done that with the Volcanoes, and it’s great to have done it again for a worthy cause. As the Mr. World organizers say, it’s all about ‘beauty with a purpose.’

“It’s not just about beauty as such, or having the best abs or the prettiest face,” Andrew explains. “Now that I’ve gone through it, I can share my experience.”

Looking back, Andrew feels that it was his exemplary communication skills that chalked up the points to his favor. “You can make it to the Top 5 in all categories, but if you can’t communicate well and blend with everyone, then all those categories won’t mean anything,” he adds. “It’s really all about personality. I got along well with everyone — even the staff and technical crew. It wasn’t a hard thing to do. I just treated everyone as if they were among the judges.”

True to form, Andrew excelled in the sports categories, thanks to his rugby training and conditioning. His only regret though was not being able to participate in the talent portion. In hindsight, he feels that joining the talent category could’ve given him the crucial points that would’ve assured his victory.

As expected, the would-be Mr. Congeniality became good friends with some of his rivals. “The guys from Lebanon, Guadalupe, Ireland, Portugal and Brazil, they were all easy to get along with,” Andrew narrates. “We created our own FB page, where we still keep in touch up to now. I also became close friends with some of the translators.”

Aside from the usual categories, which included Style, Sports, Talent and Extreme Sport, the 2012 Mr. World introduced a new category, Multimedia, where contestants had to earn likes in their respective Facebook pages, and come up with an impressive multimedia presentation about a specific topic assigned to them.

“My assigned topic was the Canterbury Cathedral,” he elaborates. “I made a travel documentary of sorts. I did a tour of the cathedral, and gave facts via phone and put subtitles.”

Equally exciting for Andrew was the reality show concept, which local viewers are most likely to see next year via a six-part TV series. “Once the world sees the reality show, I think they’ll be impressed, intrigued and interested,” he chimes. “They did a lot in highlighting the human element. It’s more personal and intimate, not just your typical beefcake parade.”

“I’m very grateful to Ms. Cory Quirino (Ms. & Mr. World franchise holder) and my manager, Arnold Vegafria, for putting their faith in me,” Andrew recounts. “Likewise, to our sponsors Novuhair and Merger, and the thousands of Filipinos who actively showed their support through Facebook and Twitter. I wouldn’t have made it without their push.”

From the world’s toughest rugby fields, the fleet-footed Man of the World stands tall and proud, however battered and bruised, as he and his teammates continue to serve as beacons of inspiration for their proud countrymen. And with his new-found purpose spreading the Mr. World coalition’s message of brotherhood and goodwill, he’s well on his way towards even more challenging fields of gold.