From hockey to pageant stage: Former Queensland athlete inspires women on and off the field

From her personal pursuits in sports to her commitment to volunteering for charities and worthy causes, Gold Coast resident Lally Del Vecchio is set to take centre stage at the Mrs Summit International Pageant 2026 Grand Finale on 8 November 2026. Credit: SBS Filipino

From the intensity of competitive sport to the spotlight of the beauty pageant stage, Gold Coast-based Lally Del Vecchio shows that strength and grace can come together in one powerful mission of inspiration.

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Key Points

• From sport to spotlight: Gold Coast-based Lally Del Vecchio transitions from elite competition in hockey and dragon boat racing to the beauty pageant stage.
• The Manila-born former bank worker moved to Australia at 19, where she and her husband Luke raised their four children together.
• Now at 50, she is dedicating more of her time to advocacy and charitable work aimed at helping others.

From her personal pursuits to her commitment to volunteering for charities and worthy causes, Manila-born Lally Del Vecchio is set to take centre stage at the Mrs Summit International Pageant 2026 Grand Finale on 8 November 2026 in Gold Coast, Queensland. Credit: Lally Del Vecchio (Facebook)

I came to Australia when I was only 19, a bit shy, but I pushed myself to meet people from different cultural backgrounds. I’m proud that at a young age I experienced hardship—I learned to scrub floors, clean windows, and work hard from the ground up. I also went through difficult times in my early years in Australia, but that’s all part of growth and resilience.

Gold Coast resident, Lally Del Vecchio

A former Queensland Masters Women’s Hockey player and Australian competitive dragon boat athlete, Del Vecchio earned recognition for her skill, discipline, and determination, including representing Australia at the 14th IDBF Club Crew World Championships in Ravenna, Italy.

Lally Del Vecchio is an active member of the Queensland community, with a strong sporting background in hockey and dragon boat racing, and takes pride in her Filipino heritage. Credit: Lally Del Vecchio (Facebook)

Moving beyond the hockey field and dragon boat race lanes, she has embraced the pageant world as a platform for purpose—continuing to inspire women through confidence, resilience, and a commitment to empowerment and community impact.

Wherever life takes us, whether in hardship or comfort, we can overcome anything. Now that I’m 50 and after raising four children, my passions in modelling and fashion are coming back to me. I want to use that journey to empower and help others as well.

Lally Del Vecchio, Mrs Summit Asia

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