Denmark’s Victoria Kjær Theilvig wins Miss Universe 2024

COPENHAGEN - Victoria Kjær Theilvig of Den­mark has been crowned Miss Universe 2024, becoming the first Dane to ever win the com­petition. The 21-year-old, a competitive dancer, entrepre­neur, and aspiring lawyer, beat more than 120 other contes­tants to win the annual beauty pageant in Mexico City on Sat­urday night. She was applauded by other contestants on stage as she accepted the tiara from reigning titleholder Sheyn­nis Palacios of Nicaragua.

This year’s finale featured a perfor­mance by singer Robin Thicke and was hosted by “Saved by the Bell” star Mario Lopez and for­mer Miss Universe Olivia Culpo. The glitzy pageant began with contestants being narrowed down to a shortlist of 30, based on the results of Thursday’s pre­liminary event, which included a flamboyant national costume contest. The semi-finalists then paraded in swimwear, before 12 of them advanced to an evening gown contest.



The final five con­testants later faced questions on a range of topics, including leadership and resilience. When asked how she would live dif­ferently if nobody would judge her, Theilvig told the judges she wouldn’t change anything, say­ing, “I live by each day.” When lat­er asked what she would say to those watching, Theilvig urged viewers to “keep fighting .

.. no matter where you come from.

” “I stand here today because I want a change, I want to make history, and that’s what I’m do­ing tonight,” she said. Chidimma Adetshina of Nigeria finished as first runner-up and Maria Fer­nanda Beltran of Mexico was named second runner-up. Suchata Chuangsri of Thai­land and Ileana Marquez Pe­droza of Venezuela followed – with Pedroza, a 28-year-old mother, making history in the top five after the com­petition removed several restrictions in recent years.

This year marked the first time in Miss Universe’s 72-year history that women aged over 28 were permitted to en­ter. More than two dozen of the finalists were older than would have been allowed in previous years, with Malta’s Beatrice Njoya becoming the first and only woman in her 40s to reach the grand finale. The age limit’s removal came amid growing calls for the pageant to modern­ize.

Ahead of 2023’s contest, the Miss Universe Organization also lifted a longstanding ban on pregnant women or mothers, and women who are — or ever have been — married. Delegates for each country were selected via local pageants that license local rights from the Miss Uni­verse Organization. This year’s contest saw Cuba, represented by Marianela Ancheta, take part in Miss Universe for the first time since 1967.

Several countries, including Belarus, Eritrea and the United Arab Emirates, sent contestants for the first time, though in April the Miss Universe Organiza­tion moved to dispel a flurry of what it called “false and misleading” reports that Saudi Arabia was due to make its de­but in the 2024 pageant..