Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Denmark has been crowned Miss Universe 2024, turning into the primary Dane to ever win the competition. The 21-yr-vintage, a competitive dancer, entrepreneur, and aspiring attorney, beat more than 120 different contestants to win the once a year beauty pageant in Mexico City on Saturday night time. She was applauded with the aid of different contestants on level as she familiar the tiara from reigning titleholder Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua. This year’s finale featured a performance with the aid of singer Robin Thicke and become hosted via “Saved by means of the Bell” superstar Mario Lopez and former Miss Universe Olivia Culpo. The glitzy pageant began with contestants being narrowed right down to a shortlist of 30, based totally at the consequences of Thursday’s preliminary occasion, which included a flamboyant countrywide gown contest. The semi-finalists then paraded in swimming gear, earlier than 12 of them advanced to an night gown contest. The very last five contestants later confronted questions about a range of subjects, which include leadership and resilience. When asked how she would live in another way if nobody could choose her, Theilvig told the judges she wouldn’t trade whatever, saying, “I stay through each day.” When later requested what she could say to the ones watching, Theilvig urged visitors to “preserve preventing … no matter where you come from.” “I stand here today due to the fact I need a change, I want to make records, and that’s what I’m doing this night,” she said. Chidimma Adetshina of Nigeria completed as first runner-up and Maria Fernanda Beltran of Mexico changed into named 2d runner-up. Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand and Ileana Marquez Pedroza of Venezuela observed – with Pedroza, a 28-12 months-old mother, making records in the top 5 after the opposition eliminated several restrictions in current years. This yr marked the first time in Miss Universe’s seventy two-yr history that girls elderly over 28 had been authorised to enter. More than two dozen of the finalists were older than might had been allowed in preceding years, with Malta’s Beatrice Njoya turning into the primary and handiest female in her 40s to reach the grand finale. The age limit’s elimination got here amid developing calls for the pageant to modernize. Ahead of 2023’s contest, the Miss Universe Organization additionally lifted a longstanding ban on pregnant girls or mothers, and women who are — or ever have been — married. Delegates for each united states of america have been decided on via nearby pageants that license nearby rights from the Miss Universe Organization. This 12 months’s contest noticed Cuba, represented by Marianela Ancheta, take part in Miss Universe for the primary time when you consider that 1967. Several international locations, along with Belarus, Eritrea and the United Arab Emirates, sent contestants for the primary time, even though in April the Miss Universe Organization moved to dispel a flurry of what it known as “false and misleading” reviews that Saudi Arabia was because of make its debut within the 2024 competition.
