She was tipped to be the next star of Philippine athletics, but Ilongga Alexie Mae Caimoso Brooks finds the glimmering light of the pageant stage so hard to resist.
From the high jumps of the track and field as a heptathlon athlete to the glimmering lights of the beauty pageant stage, Alexie has proven that she can make the best of both worlds.
Recently crowned Miss Iloilo 2024, the 21-year-old black beauty has not only captured a prestigious title but has also claimed Best in Swimsuit, Best in Designers’ Fashion Show, and Best in Cultural Costume honors.
Standing tall at 5’9”, Alexie’s achievements extend far beyond the world of beauty contests.
As a high jump and heptathlon athlete for National University and a representative of the Philippine Team for Heptathlon in the 2022 Vietnam SEA Games, she has secured numerous gold medals, including a notable triumph in the Heptathlon at the 2022 Ayala Philippine Athletics Championship.
Her athletic journey, a blend of talent and perseverance, has not been without challenges.
Alexie faced bullying for her skin color in her hometown of Leon, Iloilo. In an interview with ABS-CBN, she courageously shared the difficulties she encountered growing up without her parents.
“I often get bullied for being black. I don’t have my parents growing up,” she revealed.
Brooks was born in Manila but had not met her father, growing up with her Lola Basing in Leon, Iloilo before studying in Manila for an athletic scholarship.
I AM ALEXIE BROOKS
Despite the hurdles, Alexie’s ascent to success continues to be marked by hard work and resilience, both physically and emotionally.
Raised by her Lola Basing in Iloilo, she started winning high-jump competitions at the Palarong Pambansa before becoming a scholar at the National University in Manila.
Her journey extends into the world of beauty pageants, where she faced body shaming and ostracism. However, Alexie has risen above the negativity, proudly proclaiming her uniqueness and individuality.
“I am unique, I am different, I am peculiar. I am Alexie Brooks,” she asserted on her social media page.
With her eyes set on a promising future, Alexie Mae Caimoso Brooks exemplifies that the best is yet to come. As she aptly puts it, “Life itself is a healing journey,” Alexie told Aine Grace Bravo of Aksyon Radyo in an interview.
“You could cry and after you cry, the scars don’t go away. You can still go through pain while healing yourself at the same time. You just don’t stop kasi when you take time to rest you wasted time also. For me, it’s always been healing and working towards my dream.”