Miss South Africa wins 2019 Miss Universe pageant

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Zozibini Tunzi, Miss South Africa 2019 is congratulated by fellow contestants after being crowned Miss Universe. Alex Mertz/Miss Universe Organization

ATLANTA - Zozibini Tunzi, Miss South Africa, has been crowned Miss Universe.

“I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me with my color skin and my kind of hair is not considered beautiful,” Tunzi said during her closing statement in the pageant Sunday. “That stops today. I want children to look at my face and see their own looking back at them.”

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The closing statement was a new addition to this year’s competition, taking the place of the “final look” segment that had been used for multiple years. Each of the top three contestants — Tunzi, Miss Puerto Rico Madison Anderson and Miss Mexico Sofia Aragon — had 15 seconds to explain why they should become Miss Universe.

Throughout the Sunday night pageant, Tunzi emphasized the importance of education in childrens’ lives and teaching young women confidence. Tunzi told the crowd at the Oprah Winfrey Soundstage she was forced to withdraw from school as a child because her family could no longer afford it, a problem not uncommon in South Africa. Competing in pageants helped her get back into school and earn a college degree, she said.

In her national costume, presented in Friday night’s costume contest, Tunzi chose to make a statement about violence against women in her country by including letters written by South African women as part of her dress.

Tunzi, 26, is the second South African to win the title in three years and the first black woman to win since 2011. Before winning Miss South Africa, she earned a bachelor’s degree in public relations and was working on a graduate degree while an intern at advertising and marketing agency Ogilvy.

Tunzi was chosen from a group of 90 women hailing from six continents. The contestants have been in Atlanta since Thanksgiving in preparation for the competition at Tyler Perry Studios.

Host Steve Harvey, who filmed “Family Feud” in Atlanta until 2017 and has a home in the city, was excited the competition took him back to Georgia.

“I’ve been all over the world, to Thailand, to the Philippines, places where I was a stranger in a foreign land,” Harvey said. “But this time, we’re home.”

Tunzi won the crown in a fierce gold and green metallic gown, with strands of gold beads cascading over her chest and shoulders, creating a regal look. Her short cropped hair drew a stark contrast with the extravagant gown.

Anderson, of Puerto Rico, placed first runner-up and Aragon, of Mexico, placed second runner-up. Miss USA Cheslie Kryst placed in the top 10.

A day before Sunday’s competition, Kryst said she felt calm and prepared. The Friday night preliminary competition brought her back to her days as a college track athlete.

“It felt like when you take that practice run around the track before a meet,” Kryst said.

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