BARBADOS' MISS WORLD delegate Latoya McDowald has made even more strides in her bid to claim the most coveted of beauty titles. Only yesterday, she was named among the Top 10 in talent, an achievement which improves to some degree her chances at winning it all.

She joins the other nine beauties in this mini-contest, and if she wins, she will be among the top finalists who will be on stage for the worldwide televised gala, on September 30.

She has already claimed seventh in the beachwear contest, and made the Top 10 in an Evening Gown showdown.

But Barbadians can bolster her chances even more if they ride her wave of Miss World 2006 successes by voting online at www.missworld.com. Latoya's voting number is MW403.

Today, Latoya will attend an open-air musical performance with the other delegates, and an auction at the Hyatt Warsaw.

Despite her schedule, she has maintained close contact with home base. When the Saturday SUN last caught up with her, she was preparing for a flight back to Warsaw after spending the week touring Poland.

Throughout the contest, she has created quite a few friendships, especially with the African delegates and more specifically Miss Liberia Patrice Juah, and Miss Botswana Lorato Tebogo.

"I met Miss St Lucia (Tamalisa JeanBaptiste) before the Miss World competition, so we have become even closer. My roommate (Miss Bahamas Deandrea Conliffe) and I are also very close.

"I have also made good friends with Miss Mexico, Karla Amescua, Miss Denmark, Sandra Spohr, Miss Croatia, Ivana Ergic and Miss India, Natasha Suri."

The 5-foot-11-inch beauty is keeping above the expected animosity and jealousy ("Girls will be girls"), and is quick to add that most of the delegates are very supportive and happy for her.

"I am friendly with everybody. Actually, everybody is friendly with everybody... that is our job, so I build good relationships with all of them.

"The Caribbean group took a while to get comfortablewith each other, butwe are doing great and having a lot of fun!Latoya readily admitted that the language barrier was a major problem.

"I speak a little Spanish, but when it comes to communicating with the Polish people, it's really difficult because most of them don't speak English.

"Each group was assigned two Polish chaperones, but when we are on our own it's very challenging."

Latoya however sees it as a learning experience "and I know quite a few Polish words now"! Still determined to pursue her career goals, Latoya's other challenge is fitting schoolwork into her schedule.

"We don't have an ounce of free time. Sometimes we leave the hotel at 8 a.m. and don't return until 6 or 9 p.m."

Asked about her impressions of Poland, Latoya replied: "We live a very active, colourful life in the Caribbean with very friendly people...but in Poland, and Europe on the whole, you will find a more quiet, relaxed environment.

"The food here is extremely different cuisine. They put sauce over everything. Honestly, I am not a big fan of the food here. Yesterday (Tuesday), they served pilau for lunch. I was soooo surprised. Miss Trinidad, Teneke De Freitas, Miss Jamaica, Sara Lawrence, Miss St Lucia, Tamalisa Jn., andI really enjoyed it. It was so good to taste something familiar."

The weather? "It's VERY cold in Poland. Nuff said!"

"The delegates are very curious about the weather in Barbados because I am always wearing a coat and fussing about the weather. But they are mostly interested in calypso.

"Some of them are very fascinated by it as well. Miss Indonesia (Kristania Besouw) was sitting next to me when I was listening to Flames, by Jabae on the bus, on my iPod. She took a listen and loved it!

"Afterwards, she made me put it on her computer so she could play it for the Asian girls. Next thing you know I was downloading it to their laptops and cellphones and iPods!

"They also like Contone's My Car Brek Down and Omar's My Boo. I explained the music and Crop-Over to them and invited all of them to the festival next year."

Topping the list of things she misses about Barbados is, of couse, the "hot sun".

"Some days the weather here is bearable, but it's mostly unbelievable. I see women here in sphagetti strap tops and I'm like: 'Oh, my gosh! I wear my jacket 24/7!'"A lot of the girls tease me about that!

"I also miss my friends and family, especially my mother, Maureen, father Cecil, brother Fabian and cousin Ricardo. All my aunts and uncles, as well and Stephanie Chase and the entire ChaseLint Productions staff. "They have all been very supportive.... I know they are doing their best for me in Barbados."

Latoya also sent special shout-outs to her friends Nia, Shari, Akil, Damian, Rasheda, Rhizanne, Figgy, Janelle... "I can't call all."