Miss World 2014 held its grand finale in London at the Excel London ICC Auditorium on Sunday and crowned its new Miss World in Miss South Africa Rolene Strauss, CBS News reported.
Strauss beat out representatives from more than 120 countries for the crown. She came on top over runner-up Miss Hungary Edina Kulcsar and third placer Miss United States Elizabeth Safrit.
She cinched the win by beating her fellow contestants during the talent competition, Beauty With A Purpose round, model, sports and beach fashion competition, and a debate held at the Oxford Union, all grueling competitions held three weeks prior to the finale, according to the The Daily Mail.
"South Africa, this is for you. I'm so proud of you and I'm proud to be your representative," Strauss said during her speech, according to CBS.
Here are some of the things readers will be interested to know about the new reigning queen, as told from CBS, The Daily Mail, Hollywood Life and E! News:
1. Strauss is 22 years old and bilingual, speaking Afrikaans and English fluently. Her childhood dreams consisted of becoming Miss South Africa and Miss World.
2. Winning beauty pageants isn't her only childhood dream though, as Strauss consideres medicine her passion and also wanted to become doctor.
A test tube baby herself, she was a fourth year medical student at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein before putting her studies on hold. She also comes from a medical background, with a doctor and a nurse for parents.
3. Strauss, who considers herself a small town girl with big dreams, is making history. She is currently the third South African woman to win Miss World.
4. Strauss is single but is definitely not looking to mingle. She admitted she had dumped about three men in her life, but said she was not one to have a "public relationship."
"People look up to you and see you as an independent, strong woman," she said. "That's the picture I'd like to show people out there."
5. Strauss is religious. According to her, Jeremiah 29:11 gives her goose bumps: ''For I know the plans I have for you. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
6. Strauss advocates women's rights, health and education and, and as Miss World she also wants to help spread education in her homeland.
"I would love to give others the same opportunities," she said. "Educating, the opportunity to be educated, to make healthy choices and also to live in their dreams."
This year's Miss World event was plagued with controversy after the murder of Miss Honduras Maria Jose Alvarado and her sister last month. Strauss and the other contestants will be paying their respects to Alvarado and family and travel to central America to build a school in their honor, according to Daily Mail.
