#contender

• Aspirant — A person who aspires, covets, or aims to obtain a position, an office, a title, a dignity, or a higher social or professional status; in a naval military context, it represents the lowest officer rank in the navy, equivalent to a second lieutenant in the army. As an adjective, it describes an element or a person demonstrating a strong desire for advancement.
• Aspirant — The feminine form of the word 'aspirant'; a woman or female person who aims, covets, or applies to obtain a title, a professional position, a distinction, or a high social status; as an adjective, it describes a female entity in an active process of competition or advancement.