Joy for South Africa as Rolene Strauss wins Miss World crown

Published December 15, 2014
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss, poses in her seat after being crowned during the grand final of the Miss World 2014 pageant at the Excel London ICC Auditorium in London on December 14, 2014. – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss, poses in her seat after being crowned during the grand final of the Miss World 2014 pageant at the Excel London ICC Auditorium in London on December 14, 2014. – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss, waves after being crowned during the grand final of the Miss World 2014. – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss, waves after being crowned during the grand final of the Miss World 2014. – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss (R), is crowned by Miss World 2013 Megan Young (L) during the grand final of the Miss World 2014 pageant at the Excel London ICC Auditorium in London on December 14, 2014. – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss (R), is crowned by Miss World 2013 Megan Young (L) during the grand final of the Miss World 2014 pageant at the Excel London ICC Auditorium in London on December 14, 2014. – AFP
Miss World 2013 Megan Young (top) crowns Miss South Africa Rolene Strauss (bottom) as Miss World 2014 during the grand final of the Miss World 2014. – AFP
Miss World 2013 Megan Young (top) crowns Miss South Africa Rolene Strauss (bottom) as Miss World 2014 during the grand final of the Miss World 2014. – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss, reacts after being crowned during the grand final of the Miss World 2014. – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss, reacts after being crowned during the grand final of the Miss World 2014. – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss (C), waves flanked by first runner up Miss Hungary Edina Kulcsar (L) and second runner up Miss United States Elizabeth Safrit (R) during the grand final of the Miss World 2014. – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss (C), waves flanked by first runner up Miss Hungary Edina Kulcsar (L) and second runner up Miss United States Elizabeth Safrit (R) during the grand final of the Miss World 2014. – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss (C), holds hands with first runner up Miss Hungary Edina Kulcsar (L) and second runner up Miss United States Elizabeth Safrit (R) after being crowned during the grand final of the Miss World 2014 . – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss (C), holds hands with first runner up Miss Hungary Edina Kulcsar (L) and second runner up Miss United States Elizabeth Safrit (R) after being crowned during the grand final of the Miss World 2014 . – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss (C), blows a kiss during the grand final of the Miss World 2014. – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss (C), blows a kiss during the grand final of the Miss World 2014. – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss (C), waves as other contestants link hands during the grand final of the Miss World 2014. – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss (C), waves as other contestants link hands during the grand final of the Miss World 2014. – AFP
All contestants hold hands after Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss (C), was crowned during the grand final of the Miss World 2014 pageant. – AFP
All contestants hold hands after Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss (C), was crowned during the grand final of the Miss World 2014 pageant. – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss (C), dances with first runner up Miss Hungary Edina Kulcsar (L) and second runner up Miss United States Elizabeth Safrit (R) during the grand final of the Miss World 2014 pageant at the Excel London ICC Auditorium in London on December 14, 2014.  – AFP
Miss South Africa and the 2014 Miss World, Rolene Strauss (C), dances with first runner up Miss Hungary Edina Kulcsar (L) and second runner up Miss United States Elizabeth Safrit (R) during the grand final of the Miss World 2014 pageant at the Excel London ICC Auditorium in London on December 14, 2014. – AFP
Miss South Africa, Rolene Strauss, poses after being crowned Miss World 2014. – AP
Miss South Africa, Rolene Strauss, poses after being crowned Miss World 2014. – AP

Miss South Africa, 22-year-old Rolene Strauss, was crowned Miss World 2014 at the pageant’s final in London on Sunday, with an estimated billion viewers watching on television around the globe. The 10 contestants who topped the final scoreboard were, in descending order, from India, South Africa, England, Guyana, Brazil, Hungary, Kenya, United States, Mexico and Australia. Medical student Strauss clasped her hands together in surprise and was crowned by the outgoing Miss World, Megan Young of the Philippines, to huge cheers in the ExCeL exhibition centre. “South Africa this is for you,” Strauss said. “I think I will brace myself for what's about to happen. It's a huge responsibility.” And she was already getting used to the glittering crown. “I'll definitely keep it on as long as I can but my parents are staying around here so they'll be hugging me and I'm afraid that it might fall off,” she said.

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