It seemed that Anya Kop was guaranteed to win cycle 10 of America's Next Top Model when she made it to final 3.  She had won several challenges during the season and never landed in the bottom two.  Yet, it was Whitney Thompson, not Anya, who ended up winning the title of Top Model.  Instead of being bitter or upset, Anya was ecstatic for Whitney and the two have remained close friends.  Anya spoke to BuddyTV in an exclusive interview about her fellow competitors, why she thinks she lost, and what life holds for her post-Top Model.

Below, you will find the complete transcript and mp3 of the interview.

Hey everybody, this is Gina from BuddyTV, and today I'm talking to Anya, the first runner-up of America's Next Top Model Cycle 10. First of all, congratulations on making it to the final two. How was that for you?

It was incredible. I was so blessed that I made it that far. I was just so appreciative of everything that happened to me, and just making it that far was incredible.


I heard that you were very gracious when you lost. I just talked to Whitney, and she told me that you were overly happy for her. That you were happier for her than any of the other contestants.

Yeah, I was. I was so ecstatic. I think no one else can represent America's Next Top Model better than she can. I was so incredibly grateful that I was able to compete against such a beautiful person, and it was more of a competition with myself, so I was just so grateful to have been at the side of her.


Do you know why you ended up not winning, or do you have any feelings about what your weaknesses were in comparison to Whitney?

I don't know. I just feel like I did my best, and of course Whitney, when she walks, she gave a strong, determined walk. It shows through the whole entire thing. I think it was just my experience, and I just have to grow more as a model. For my walk at least, I have to be more stronger in it and just practice more I guess.


Were you nervous in the Versace fashion show?

Yes, I was nervous. There were so many people, there were all the judges in the front row, but at the same time I was loving every single moment of it. I was enjoying it, and I was just really grateful to have made it that far. I was having so much fun, and I wouldn't change it for the world, it was so much fun. Me and Whitney, right before our panel, me and her were just hugging each other. We were just so happy together, you know what I mean? We were definitely good supporters of each other.


It sounds like you leave the show having made a lot of good friends. Who do you still talk to, and who will you stay friends with?

Well, I love Claire, she's from North Shore, so me and her definitely talk. I love Whitney, me and her are going to be like best friends for the rest of our lives. We'll be calling each other when we're 80, and be like, "Oh my gosh! Remember that time when we were on America's Next Top Model together?"


I'm just laughing, because she said the same thing about you.

Oh, really?


Yeah, she said that the two of you were best friends, and I didn't know if she was just saying that or if that was true. Now you're saying it too, that's so great to hear.

Yeah, I love Whitney, she's an amazing person. She's gonna go far in her career.


There are a lot of BuddyTV readers that are convinced that you're gonna work after the show, and get a lot of things to do. What are your plans for modeling now?

I want to move to New York so bad. It's my dream, because New York is such a high fashion place. I hope I get a lot of jobs, but I definitely want to start with an agents there and move up there. I want to get jobs, I want to travel, I want to go to Paris, go to Milan, and just see what I can do up there again. America's Next Top Model is really sheltered, you know? Everything is about modeling, but when you go out there in the real world it's so different. It's so fast paced, and you have to keep up with everything, so it's a huge challenge. Being on the show was a challenge in itself, but being on your own and having to model, and working with all these wonderful, different people, it's a huge, different environment. It's something that I can't wait to look forward to.


Well, you're an amazing model, so I'm sure we're gonna hear big things from you in the future.

Thank you so much.


Thanks so much for your time, Anya. I appreciate it, and good luck in the future.

Thank you. Bye.

- Gina Scarpa, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of CW)