Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters from South African woman who helps train women in self-defence has been crowned Miss Universe.
The 22-year-old, who recently earned a business management degree, was crowned at The AXIS theater at Planet Hollywood casino-resort on the Las Vegas Strip on Sunday.
Her passion for self-defence was reinforced when she was hijacked and held at gunpoint about a month after winning her title as Miss South Africa, she said in a video on the Miss Universe website.
The runner-up was Miss Colombia Laura Gonzalez, while the second runner-up was Miss Jamaica Davina Bennett.
Ninety-two women in from around the world including Nigeria 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.
Along with the title, Nel-Peters earned a yearlong salary, a luxury apartment in New York City for the duration of her reign and more prizes.
She is the second woman from her home country to earn the crown.
Fans of the pageant submitted the questions that the final five contestants 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,” she said.
“I think we should have equal work for equal pay for women all over the world.”
Nel-Peters is from the South African coastal community of Sedgefield in the Western Cape province. (NAN)
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