‘I went out there, I put on the best show that I could’

– Christopher Narine, Mr India Guyana 2024, describes journey to pageantry crown, despite near fatal accident a week before competition night

A disastrous accident damaged the car of then Mr India Guyana contestant, Christopher Narine, just days before his debut moment was slated to take place.
However, the championship was the only thing on the young man’s mind as he championed the competition after competing in any event for the first time in his life.
Speaking to him in a recent interview, Narine exclusively disclosed his ordeal just a week before the event.
“A lot of people don’t know, but a week before this pageant, I encountered a near-fatal accident where I basically blacked out while driving and crashed. It landed me in the emergency room for like three days. At that point, it was like I felt like, you know, dropping out because I couldn’t carry on with the complications and stuff.”
The only thing that inspired the 26-year-old to continue the competition was the outstanding support he gained from his family and friends.

“I had a very strong support system. From my fellow brothers in the pageant, from my family, my girlfriend—they were all behind me telling me that this is a small inconvenience compared to what’s in store for me, and I basically pushed through and ended up with this result, which I am very grateful for,” he revealed.
According to Narine, on the day of the accident, he wasn’t feeling well and told the guys that he was taking a bit of a break, because he was at work that day.
He said he went home to get some rest and planned to come back later that night. He works in the oil and gas industry, which is a job that requires time and effort.
He left work, and while driving home, he “blacked out” completely, and accidentally hit the gas pedal, causing his vehicle to crash.
He is still receiving treatment because of his neck injuries from a severe whiplash, and also sprained his right hand.
The doctors told him that he was overworked because he was hardly getting sleep; trying to balance work, studies, and preparing for the pageant.
The accident occurred on the Saturday before the competition.
“I spent time in the hospital, back and forth, doing MRIs and X-rays, and all sorts of stuff trying to figure out, you know, what went wrong.

So far it seems normal, but they said I needed a lot of rest. Mainly my family, they were behind me, the organisers were behind me in all of this,” he said.
Despite this, he went out and put on the best show ever.
“They wanted me to see it through, which I’m so thankful for because I honestly did not expect this result. But I went out there, I put on the best show that I could, and I’m very thankful for that,” he expressed.
Before venturing into pageantry, he had already engaged in community outreach activities like clean-up campaigns and initiatives to support the less fortunate.
While these efforts were small-scale, mainly involving a few friends, it wasn’t until a conversation with a businessman in early 2024 that he fully understood the potential impact of a larger platform.
The businessman explained how a bigger stage could amplify his efforts and make a greater difference. Encouraged by both the businessman’s insight and his friends’ support, he decided to take the leap and sign up for the pageant.
He also shared the backdrop of his journey preparing for the competition, which consisted of in-depth research.
“I did my research. I looked into it, I met with the organisers, and they gave me a brief rundown of how it goes. And that’s when I decided to actually go through with it,” he disclosed.
It was his first time competing, and first-time win.
He added, “You have to give a straight answer to the pageant question. It’s more about the answer but with an emotional attachment to it because, you know, you have to really sell yourself to the judges. Actually, all the guys were really talented. It was a very good competition, and I respect those guys a lot for how they portrayed themselves. They all brought their best,” he said.
Overall, he said, it was a great decision, and the experience of hearing his name called as the winner was an emotional one.
In fact, many entities have been calling on him and inviting him to various spaces to share his message.
“It was a very good competition, very well organised by the event.”
Asked how he felt when he heard his name announced as the winner he replied,
“I don’t know, the feeling still hasn’t fully sunk in yet. It’s only been a week, but I’ve been very busy. A lot of people have been advising me, inviting me to places, wanting me to speak at their forums, and that kind of stuff.”
Narine’s current advocacy focuses on a cleaner society.
“My current advocacy that I’m pushing is a cleaner, greener environment. My message to young individuals like myself is that believing in yourself can actually take you far. Having a healthy support system also takes you far.”