Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, who represented South Africa, won the Miss Universe crown Sunday (Nov 26). 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. The runner-up was Miss Colombia Laura Gonzalez, while the second runner-up was Miss Jamaica Davina Bennett.
A South African woman who helps train women in self-defence was crowned Miss Universe on Sunday at the pageant held in Las Vegas, with Miss Colombia and Miss Jamaica also making it to the final three.
Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters, 22, who unleashed a big smile when she won, hails from Western Cape Province and recently earned a business management degree from North-West University.
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.
Miss Colombia, Laura Gonzalez, 22, was the first runner-up. She has been preparing to be an actress since the age of 16. After graduating from a performing arts school, she moved to Bogota to build her career.
The second runner-up was Miss Jamaica, Davina Bennett, 21. She is a model pursuing a degree in marketing at the University of the West Indies.
Ninety-two 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.
