Miss Universe 2024: Historic wins and inspiring stories

Miss Universe 2024 Victoria Kjaer and 1st runner-up Chidimma Adetshina. (Courtesy)

The 73rd edition of the prestigious Miss Universe 2024 came to a beautiful end on 16 November in Mexico City. The winner and Miss Universe 2024 is 21-year-old Victoria Kjaer, a representative of Denmark and Miss Universe Denmark 2024.

In second place is Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, while Miss Universe Mexico, María Fernanda Beltrán, finished in third place in front of her home crowd at Arena Ciudad de México.

In fourth place was Miss Universe Thailand, Suchata Chuangsri, and Miss Universe Venezuela, Ileana Márquez, who finished fifth in the iconic beauty pageant.

The elegant competition featured up to 130 contestants, and the models mentioned above rose above it and took their countries to the next level.

The new beauty queen, Victoria Kjaer, secured the first-ever victory for Denmark in the prestigious Miss Universe beauty pageant. Being so young and talented, she has made her country proud by being the first Miss Universe beauty queen.

The first runner-up also has an interesting background regarding her win. Miss Universe Nigeria, Chidimma Adetshina, emerged second after undergoing a series of challenges prior to the competition.

Chidimma Vanessa Onwe Adetshina is a Nigerian beauty pageant titleholder who won Miss Universe Nigeria after withdrawing from the South African pageant due to citizenship issues.

She faced accusations of identity theft when the Miss Universe South Africa officials discovered that she was not South African. Despite facing criticism from netizens on social media, she was invited to compete in the Miss Universe Nigeria pageant since her father is Nigerian.

She won the title and represented Nigeria at the Miss Universe 2024 pageant in Mexico, finishing as the first runner-up. She was also crowned Miss Universe Africa and Oceania as the highest-ranked African contestant of 2024, marking the continent’s highest placement in Miss Universe history.

As for Miss Universe Mexico, María Fernanda Beltrán, who finished third, she was so close to joining previous Mexican winners of the Miss Universe pageant: Lupita Jones (1991), Ximena Navarrete (2010), and Andrea Meza (2020). She was crowned in front of her home crowd, friends, and family at Arena Ciudad de México.

During the competition, the final round that determined the winner after the judges’ deliberation was question time. The judges asked the contestants random questions, and they gracefully answered them. Some of the judges included Margaret Gardiner and singer and influencer Lele Pons, just to mention a few. Donned in their night gowns, the five finalists received questions that conveyed powerful messages to women around the world. The final question round plays a big part in portraying a candidate's character, intelligence, and ability to win.

Miss Universe Kenya, Irene Ngendo Mukii, did not disappoint. Even though she did not win, she represented Kenya proudly and elegantly, showcasing her talent.

In the national costume competition, she pleased the audience with her unique design featuring the faces of admirable and renowned Kenyan athletes, paying homage to Kenya's prowess in long-distance running.

Irene Ngendo truly made a strong impression with her confidence, poise, and ability to interact and connect with the audience and the judges alike. With her charisma and impressive background, she stole the show and pushed Kenya to another level.

Irene Mukii Ngendo is a 26-year-old software engineer, dancer, philanthropist, and fitness enthusiast. She made Kenya's comeback remarkable after Mary Esther emerged among the top six candidates in 2016.

Kenyans are looking forward to more competitions where she will represent Kenya. Her background, experiences, and skills set her apart as a multifaceted candidate, embodying the qualities celebrated by the Miss Universe pageant. She has previously represented Kenya in various international beauty pageants and always makes Kenya proud.

Miss Universe Kenya, Irene, emerged among the top 30 contestants, and this is a huge win for her and her career. This came after Miss South Africa 2024 withdrew from the competition at the last minute.

Miss South Africa 2024, Mia le Roux, was initially set to represent South Africa at the 73rd Miss Universe pageant, but unfortunately, she did not compete due to health issues. She is the first deaf contestant in the Miss Universe beauty pageant. Despite not competing to the end, this acts as an inspiration to people from all over the world.

The Miss Universe beauty pageant started in 1952 and characterises itself as an organisation that embraces and celebrates different backgrounds, nations, and cultures. The platform gives opportunities for talented models from around the world to participate and win prestigious accolades such as the beauty queen title.

Their official website reads, "We create a safe space for women to share their stories and amplify their personal, professional, and philanthropic impact."

Over the years, the universally recognised pageant has transformed and undergone changes. In 2023, the Miss Universe pageant saw Guatemala's Michelle Cohn become the first married contestant with children, signalling a new era for the iconic pageant.

The pageant has not only welcomed married contestants but also mothers and transgender women. Thai businesswoman Anne Jakrajutatip, a transgender entrepreneur, secured the Miss Universe Organisation in 2022. Such historical changes portray a broader commitment to diversity.

As the former reigning beauty queen and Miss Universe 2023, Sheynnis Palacios made history as the first Nicaraguan to win the title, Miss Universe 2024, Victoria Kjaer, has done the same for Denmark. The world is looking forward to seeing the good work Victoria will do as the new queen.