For Miss Wisconsin Mandi Genord, winning in 2024 ‘is perfect timing’ after finishing as runner-up

OSHKOSH – Some things are worth the wait.

Mandi Genord can attest to this, moving up one spot on the podium from runner-up to Miss Wisconsin 2024 .

It’s a story of perseverance for the 22-year-old from Beaver Dam, who just barely missed out on the title when she finished as the 2023 runner-up before returning to take the crown on the very same stage last weekend.

“Coming into this year, I did put a lot of pressure on myself [to win], but it wasn’t a case of win or bust, either, because I would have been comfortable just performing at my best,” Genord told the Northwestern.

“So, when I won it was still quite the shock and surprise, and it felt like a whirlwind in the moment, but now it feels a bit more real,” she added.

Competing as Miss Rock River Valley last year, Genord came up agonizingly short of the crown when she and eventual winner Lila Szyryj were the last ladies left standing on the stage.

Yet, Genord acknowledged that second-place finish may have been for the best considering she still had one more year of college left at Alabama.

“I was still in school and on scholarship, so had I won, I’m not sure what would have happened, but now I have graduated, and I am doing a gap year before I apply for law school, so I honestly think this is perfect timing,” she said.

“Lila and I also worked a bunch together going into Miss Wisconsin, and she was able to guide me through that journey, so I like to say when she won, I won as well.”

But that only intensified the pressure Genord put on herself going into this year’s pageant.

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Thankfully, her team placed no such expectations on her.

And Genord was able to lean on her experience as a competitive dancer under her mom, brother and sister, who are all dance instructors.

It also helped she previously won Miss Wisconsin's Teen in 2018.

So, it shouldn’t have been much of a surprise that Genord won preliminary talent and evening wear award honors to kick off the 2024 pageant.

“You still can never tell with preliminary wins because you have private interviews with the judges, and that part of the process can be very telling,” Genord said.

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“The pressure can still be overwhelming at times, but I just wanted to put forward a performance that reflected my hard work and dedication, although you know at the same time mistakes can happen.”

But those mistakes were clearly few and far between, as Miss Northern Lights ended up tying for the overall interview score while also being named overall evening wear winner.

Genord was also quite satisfied with her contemporary jazz dance performance to “You Don’t Own Me.”

Now, she turns her attention to Miss America 2025 and her initiative, Movement Matters, which focuses on kids taking control of their own health through activities.

“I just want people to know I am a true Wisconsin girl and I am proud to call this my home state,” Genord said.

“I am so excited to be going into this role for the next year and really act as a representative of not just Wisconsin, but an advocate of the Miss Wisconsin brand.

“They’ve poured so much into me," she added, "and I want to give them back just as much as they’ve given me."

Have a story idea? Contact Justin Marville at jmarville@gannett.com .

This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: For Miss Wisconsin Mandi Genord, winning in 2024 ‘is perfect timing’ after finishing as runner-up