It happened again, for the 6th time: Venezuelan woman is Miss World.
To the delight of Colonel Hugo Chávez and the entire Venezuelan population, who follow beauty pageants like we watch the World Cup, 21-year-old Ivian Sarcos wins the competition; the country's sixth title in 60 years of the contest.
247 – It happened again, to the delight of Colonel Hugo Chávez and the entire Venezuelan population, who follow the women's beauty pageants with the same emotion that Brazilians watch a World Cup final. This afternoon in London, Venezuelan Ivian Lunasol Sarcos Colmenares, 21 years old, 1.79m tall, orphaned since childhood, left behind more than one hundred competitors and was chosen Miss World 2011, in the 60th edition of the contest. In the stands of the Earl's Court exhibition center, a vibrant crowd followed the entire final with war cries and Venezuelan flags waving in favor of their candidate. It was the sixth time that a representative of the country has won Miss World. The same number of titles that Venezuelans have as Miss Universe and one less than the achievements they have obtained in Miss International.
The second place went to a representative from the Philippines, and in third, the candidate from Puerto Rico. Brazilian Juceila Bueno finished in 29th place, not reaching the finals. Now, the winner will spend a year traveling the world and learning about social projects. Among the seven finalists were also candidates from Venezuela, South Korea, South Africa, Scotland, and England.
The 21-year-old Venezuelan, who is one meter and seventy-nine centimeters tall, has a degree in human resources. She confessed that she considered becoming a nun when she was younger. “I hope to use the prize productively. I am very happy. What I want most is to be able to help those in need, such as the elderly and teenagers with problems,” said the Venezuelan, who was orphaned as a child.
The event was televised in 168 countries. The next edition will be held in China. Despite the competition's popularity, Miss World has received criticism from feminist organizations, who consider the contest degrading to women. The event's director, Angie Beasley, countered the attacks, saying that the contest has changed over the years and now the winners participate in charitable events.
"This is not just a beauty pageant. We live in a free society where women have the right to choose. The Miss World contestants can decide whether or not they want to compete," Beasley opined. Since October 19th, the contestants participated in various stages and tests in England, earning bonuses or losing points. In the final phase, only seven candidates remained among the 113 contestants. Upon having her name announced as the grand winner, Ivian Sarco, as is expected of a Miss, cried.