Miss Universe contestants put on a colourful display in the swimsuit segment before Miss South Africa is crowned winner and admits 'people with my skin and hair were never considered beautiful growing up'

• Miss South Africa, Zozibini Tunzi, 26, was crowned the Miss Universe 2019 winner in Atlanta on Sunday
• She beat Puerto Rico's Madison Anderson and Mexico's Sofia Aragon in the final three to take the tiara
• Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray Filipino-Australian, handed the crown over to Miss South Africa
• It came after Steve Harvey named the wrong winner in the national costume category by mistake
• Over 90 contestants from across the world took part in the costume and swimwear segments of the show

Miss South Africa, Zozibini Tunzi, has been crowned the Miss Universe 2019 winner after beating runners-up Puerto Rico's Madison Anderson and Mexico's Sofia Aragon in the final three to take the tiara.

The 26-year-old bagged the crown after 90 contestants from across the world took part in the various segments, which included best costume, swimsuit and discussing current affairs including climate change, protest and social media.

Speaking ahead of her win on how she was keen to teach young girls about leadership, Zozibini revealed: 'I grew up in a world where a woman who looks like me — with my kind of skin and my kind of hair — was never considered to be beautiful. I think it is time that that stops today. I want children to look at me and see my face and I want them to see their faces reflected in mine.'

While exact prizes aren't revealed, she is expected to win a year's free rent in a New York apartment worth $100,000 (£76,000), along with flying around the world for modelling opportunities.

Earlier in the competition, Zozibini said of leadership: 'It's something that has been lacking in young girls and women for a very long time - not because we don't want to, but because of what society has labelled women to be,' she said.

'I think we are the most powerful beings on the world, and that we should be given every opportunity.

'And that is what we should be teaching these young girls - to take up space.'

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray Filipino-Australian, 25, who was the fourth Filipina to be crowned Miss Universe when she took the title at last year's pageant, handed the crown over to Miss South Africa.

Making her final remarks as the title holder, Gray told the audience she was closing out the chapter in her life with 'a grateful heart.'

'I've always believed that as women we have the power to redefine our generation,' she said. 'When we raise our voices together, the words 'woman power' become more than just a phrase. They become a movement.'

'To everyone with a dream, know that your dreams are valid. And on your path you are never denied, only redirected,' she added.

Gray then performed her final duty, crowning Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi as Miss Universe. 

Miss South Africa's win came as more than 90 contestants took part in the competition, which was held in Atlanta in the US on Sunday. 

Taking to the stage in an array of sparkling gowns, glamorous swimwear and pearly smiles, the women competed for the coveted title. 

However the show suffered a slight blip when presenter Steve Harvey made another awkward blunder while hosting this year's Miss Universe pageant by naming the wrong winner in the national costume category.

Harvey hosted the show at the Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta on Sunday night.

During the segment, he announced Miss Philippines as the winner while the actual winner, Miss Malaysia, stood beside him. In a very awkward moment, Shweta Sekhon grabbed the mic from the host and corrected him.

'It's not Philippines, it's Malaysia', she told the 62-year-old entertainer, who also is a game show host and author. 

Harvey immediately blamed a teleprompter malfunction. 

Harvey's latest flub, however, drew attention away from the contest's top winner, primarily because it was reminiscent of when he made the mistake of naming Miss Colombia the winner of the 2015 Miss Universe pageant when Miss Philippines had won the crown.

The crowd at the time watched in horror as the crown had to be removed from the head of one contestant and placed on another on live television.

Now in its 68th year, the 2018 competition included Miss Spain, Angela Ponce, the first ever trans woman to take part.