'In Search of Gold' – that is the theme of the upcoming Miss Jamaica World 2008 pageant, fittingly attuned to the country's fervour in its quest for Olympic glory.

16's the number for this year's Competition as well. There are 16 competitors, scheduled to strut their stuff and match wits with beauty at the Hilton Kingston Hotel on August 16 (8 pm). However, only one, (not sixteen), of these lucky ladies will win the opportunity to represent Jamaica at this year's Miss World Beauty Pageant in the Ukraine. And only one will inherit the coveted crown from Miss Jamaica World 2007, Yendi Phillipps. 

This year's pageant will be Jamaica's 23^rd staging of the event, promising to be far more entertaining than any of the competitions held in former years. Jamaica has won the Miss World Beauty Pageant twice: in 1976 (Cindy Breakspeare) and 1993 (Lisa Hanna). Jamaica has also enjoyed two 3rd place winners; two 4th places, one 5th place and two 6th places and several winners of the Caribbean Queen of Beauty title. This year's Miss World Beauty pageant will be the 58^th staging of the event.

 Here are the 16 entrants in the pageant:

Arcadia Brown

Sybonie McBayne

Raecine Williams

Monique Daley

Staci-Lee Peart

Danielle Bazzoni

Danielle Brown

Brittany Lyons

Yanique Levy

Jodion Henry

Nikita Byfield

Sian Watts

Jade Grant

Marshagay Reynolds

Shaneka Simpson

Chaka Lagurre

Photos courtesy of http://www.missjamaicaworld.com/content/home/