Miss South Africa, 22-year-old Rolene Strauss, was crowned Miss World 2014 at the contest’s glitzy final in London on Sunday, with an estimated billion viewers watching on television around the globe.
Rolene received the Miss World crown from 2013 winner Megan Young (Photo Credit; Leon Neal/AFP)
Miss Hungary, Edina Kulcsar, was judged the runner-up and Miss United States, Elizabeth Safrit, came third in the 64th annual competition, contested by women from 121 countries.
Miss World with her runners-up Miss Hungary Edina Kulcsar and Miss United States Elizabeth Safrit (Photo Credit: Paul Grover/The Telegraph)
Medical student Strauss clasped her hands together in surprise and was crowned by the outgoing Miss World, Megan Young of the Philippines, to huge cheers in the ExCeL exhibition centre.
“South Africa this is for you,” Strauss said. “I think I will brace myself for what’s about to happen. It’s a huge responsibility.”
She told AFP she wanted to help spread education in her homeland and thereby help other people realise their dreams.
According to her Miss World biography, Rolene enjoys playing golf, netball and cycling, and reading inspirational and educational books. She is also musically minded, and can play the flute, piano and guitar (Photo Credit: Paul Grover/The Telegraph)Contestants dance in national costumes during the grand final of the Miss World 2014 pageant at the Excel London ICC Auditorium (Photo Credit: Leon Neal/AFP)Ellie McKeating representing Scotland performed a wee Highland fling (Photo Credit: Paul Grover/The Telegraph)Miss Slovenia Julija Bizjak (Photo Credit: Leon Neal/AFP)
