Miss Universe 2017: Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters wins Miss Universe title

Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters 

And the new Miss Universe is:

Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters is the new Miss Universe.

Nel-Peters, 22, has a business management at North West University. She started a program that helps develop and train women in self-defense, an effort she plans to continue.

First runner-up was Miss Colombia. Second-runner up was Miss Jamaica.

Miss Universe top 3:

We're down to three. The top three Miss Universe finalists are: Miss Jamaica, Miss Colombia and Miss South Africa.

Here are the top 5 contestants in the Miss Universe pageant:

Miss Universe Top 5 is: Miss South Africa, Miss Venezuela, Miss Thailand, Miss Jamaica and Miss Colombia.

Miss USA did not make the top 5.

The question and answer round is next and the field will be cut to three.

Here are the Miss Universe Top 10:

Miss Venezuela, Miss USA, Miss Philippines, Miss Canada, Miss South Africa, Miss Spain, Miss Brazil, Miss Colombia, Miss Thailand and Miss Jamaica. Next up is evening gown then the field will be cut to five.

Miss Japan won the national costume competition.

Top 16

Miss Universe has changed things up this year, selecting the top 16 finalists based on continents. This year's finalists include four from The Americas (North America, Central America, South America, Caribbean), four candidates from Europe, and four candidates from Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Four wildcard contestants will also be part of the competition.

The top 16 are:

Representing Africa and Asia Pacific

Miss Thailand

Miss Sri Lanka

Miss Ghana

Miss South Africa

Representing Europe

Miss Spain

Miss Ireland

Miss Croatia

Miss Great Britain

Representing the Americas:

Miss Colombia

Miss USA

Miss Brazil

Miss Canada

Wildcards

Miss Philippines

Miss Venezuela

Miss Jamaica

Miss China

Earlier story:

Almost 100 women from around the globe will compete Sunday night for the Miss Universe crown.

The 66th annual competition will take place at The Axis at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on Nov. 26. The program will air 7-10 p.m. ET/PT (6-9 p.m. CT) on Fox. The pageant will be livestreamed on FoxLive and via the Miss Universe You Tube page.

Steve Harvey will return to the Miss Universe stage as host. Joining him will be current Miss Universe Iris Mittenaere of France who will crown her successor at the conclusion of the live three-hour event.

Model and entrepreneur Ashley Graham will also be returning as backstage host. Judges include Ross Mathews, Lele Pons, Jay Manuel, Megan Olivi, Pia Wurtzbach and Wendy Fitzwilliam. Performing will be Fergie and Rachel Patten.

The USA will be represented by Kara McCullough, a 26-year-old from Washington, D.C. McCullough is a graduate of South Carolina State University with a bachelor degree in chemistry. She is currently employed as a scientist for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

McCullough and the other women will be competing in evening gown, swimsuit and on-stage question.

Interesting facts about this year's contestants

This year's Miss Universe contestants range in age from 18 to 29 and represent a countries from around the world. Some interesting Miss Universe contestant facts:

  • Miss Universe Angola Lauriela Martins: Lauriela learned English from movies, songs, and television shows.
  • Miss Universe Bahamas Yasmine Cooke: Yasmine was a competitive swimmer for 8 years.
  • Miss Universe Cambodia By Sotheary: By is the first Cambodian woman to compete in Miss Universe.
  • Miss Universe Aruba Alina Mansur: The public would be surprised to know that, although she has won the title of Miss Universe Aruba, she suffered from social anxiety disorder and generalized anxiety disorder. Alina is working to rid society of the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
  • Miss Universe Barbados Lesley Chapman-Andrews: Lesley is a certified Scuba Diver.
  • Miss Universe Canada Lauren Howe: "People often seem to be surprised to hear that I hold a degree in Industrial Engineering. Perhaps there still exists a stereotype of what the 'typical engineer' is, but that does not hold true. I'm proud that my graduating class had the highest percentage of females in the history of our program and that the male to female ratio is shifting in the right direction. I dream that STEM fields, and engineering in particular, see a gender balanced ratio by the time my future children grow up."
  • Miss Universe Costa Rica Elena Correa: "I like practicing racing cars, and I love to watch Formula 1 racing."
  • Miss Universe Croatia Shanaelle Petty: "I am the first woman of mixed-race to win the Miss Universe Croatia pageant."
  • Miss Universe Czech Republic Michaela Habanova: "I did figure skating for 16 years."
  • Miss Universe Dominican Republic Carmen Munoz: "In 2013, I was chosen to participate in a debate in front of the Dominican Congress on the subject of Children's Constitutional Law. I was selected among a group of just four students by the dean in my college, law school department. Although the grandeur of the event was certainly intimidating, this debate allowed me to approach one of the powers of the state and raise my voice in favor of those in need. I humbly believe it is my love for children what encouraged me to rise to the occasion."
  • Miss Universe El Salvador Alisson Abarca: "I was the Valedictorian of my high school graduating class."
  • Miss Universe Ethiopia Akinahome Zergaw: "I have more than 10 brother and sisters."
  • Miss Universe Iceland Arna Ur Jonsdottir: "Born with a leg deformity, my mother was told I would never be able to walk properly or play sports. By the age of 15 I was the Icelandic pole vault champion and my record stood for 8 years!"
  • Miss Universe India Shraddha Shashidhar: "I survived a near death experience when I had a narrow escape at the hands of a shark while scuba diving."
  • Miss Universe Iraq Sarah Idan: "When I was 18, I worked for the coalition forces during the Iraqi Operation Freedom. I still have many medals of honor and certificate from US military with a title (Guardian of the Green Zone) as my job was to prevent terrorist attacks against the US camps Embassy and Iraqi ministries while also training the Iraqi Military."
  • Miss Universe Ireland Cailin Aine Ni Toibin: Cailin from age 9 to 18 was a competitive coastal rower and in those 10 years won many County and All Ireland medals in both women's and men's in 4 person crews.
  • Miss Universe Laos Souphaphone Somvichith: She won the gold medal for Taekwondo at the National University Games in 2015.
  • Miss Universe Nepal Nagma Shrestha: "Unlike other participants for me the journey to Miss Universe hasn't just been about being crowned in my country and coming to the pageant. For several years, I have been personally communicating with Miss Universe and travelled to New York to meet officials in the Miss Universe Organization to talk about the process to get the Miss Universe franchise and eventually participate in Miss Universe. After years of trying without ever losing hope, Nepal is finally participating in Miss Universe, and I am the first Miss Universe Nepal. It truly is a dream come true for me."
  • Miss Universe Peru Prissila: "I think people would be surprised to know that I became one of Peru's National Swimming Champions. In order to achieve this goal I needed to train every day and follow a very disciplined schedule that started every day at 5:00 am training twice a day."
  • Miss Universe Russia Kseniya Alexandrova: "I took part in the 'Formula 1' GRAND PRIX in Russia, Sochi."
  • Miss Universe South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters: "I am the first Miss South Africa title holder to be born in a free and democratic South Africa. I was born after the first democratic elections in 1994."
  • Miss Universe Sri Lanka Christina Peiris: "I have visited 16 countries. Traveling is our family hobby and we try to visit a new country at least once a year. I have travelled to Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Greece, India, Malaysia, Switzerland, Singapore, Italy, France, The Vatican City, Austria, The Netherlands and Belgium."
  • Miss Universe Turkey Pinar Tartan: "I started playing the piano when I was 3 years old."
  • Miss Universe Uruguay Marisol Acosta: "When I was a kid I rescued animals form the Street and made my home an animal shelter."
  • Miss Universe US Virgin Islands Esonica Veira: "I was a finalist in the singing competition
  • Miss USA Kara McCullough: "I did Army ROTC for a semester in college. That was the best workout I've ever had in my life."

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