Miss Costa Rica 1997, Gabriela Aguilar Chavarría got sick during Miss Costa Rica pageant and the last day of rehearsals she vanished.

Recovering to the high temperature and with the symptoms of varicela, the young lady with 19 years old became well and participated in final night in the Melico Zalazar Theatre of San Jose, Costa Rica on October, 1996.

The competition was very fought between she and Rebeca Escalante Trejos who won later Miss Costa Rica World.

Gabriela won the Miss Costa Rica crown and as soon as she recovered of disease, she took her suitcase and went to the Philippines for competition in Miss Asia Pacific Pageant.

In Manila Gabriela became a big favourite and won the Miss Asia Pacific title in 1996, besides that, she won best body award and miss photogenic award.

Next year she travelled to Miami in order to participated in Miss Universe pageant, she finished in 12th place.

But beauty pageant experience’s Gabriela began in 1995 when she was 17 years old competed in International Coast Queen she placed 1st runner up and won miss photogenic award, few moths later she was invited to represent Costa Rica in World Banana Queen Pageant where she won and also won miss photogenic award.

Gabriela is nowadays a very important executive of Punto Rojo Corporation in beauty products field and she is one of the most remembered and loved by her numerous triumphs.