Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, who represented South Africa, has been crowned Miss Universe 2017.
The runner-up was Miss Colombia, Laura Gonzalez, while the second runner-up was Miss Jamaica, Davina Bennett.
Nel-Peters who is 22 years old recently earned her degree in business management at North-West University.
She helped develop a program to train women in self-defence in various situations after she was robbed at gunpoint a month after she was crowned as Miss South Africa.
92 women from around the world participated in the decades-old competition. This year’s edition had the most contestants ever, including the first representatives in its history of Cambodia, Laos and Nepal.
For the final five contestants, fans of the pageant submitted the questions they were asked during the competition.
When asked to name the most important issue women face in the workplace, Nel-Peters said the lack of equal pay.
“In some places, women get paid 75 percent of what men earn for doing the same job, working the same hours, and I do not believe that is right, I think we should have equal work for equal pay for women all over the world.”
Soon after Sunday night’s show began, the 16 semi-finalists; 4 from each continent; Africa & Asia, The Americas and Europe, then 4 wildcards making a total of 16.
Africa & Asia
Thailand, Sri Lanka, Ghana and South Africa,
The Americas
Colombia, USA, Brazil, and Canada
Europe
Spain, Croatia, Great Britain and Ireland
Wild Card
Venezuela, Jamaica, Philippines and China
After which the Top 10 were named:
- Miss Jamaica
- Miss Brazil
- Miss Phillippines
- Miss Canada
- Miss Spain
- Miss Colombia
- Miss South Africa
- Miss Thailand
- Miss USA
- Miss Venezuela
Top 5
- Miss South Africa
- Miss Venezuela
- Miss Thailand
- Miss Colombia
- Miss Jamaica
And finally Top 3
- Miss South Africa
- Miss Jamaica
- Miss Colombia