The 70th Miss World beauty pageant closed on Thursday morning (Manila time) in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with Poland’s Karolina Bielawska crowned winner.
Bielawska succeeded Jamaica’s Toni-Ann Singh, the longest-reigning title holder as the previous Miss World pageant was canceled due to the risk of COVID-19.
Bielawska, 23, became Poland’s second candidate to win the pageant crown. She holds a bachelor’s degree in management while pursuing a master’s degree in business. She also dreams of becoming a TV host and motivational speaker.
In her Miss World blogs, the Polish beauty queen wrote that traveling is her biggest passion. She also finds joy in discovering new places, meeting new people, and learning more about their culture, a trait that greatly influenced her winning answer in the Miss World pageant.
During the pageant’s Q&A portion, the Polish model and beauty queen was asked about “the most important discovery yet to be discovered.”
“Every day, we learn something new. We all have unique experiences, and all of us can learn something about ourselves. What I’ve discovered is that it costs us so little to enrich the lives of others. This is the cause we can all afford, and believe me, it’s worth its price,” she began her statement.
“So, if you want to discover something new, just try to learn to be rich more in empathy, in compassion, in gratitude because we can all do it, we can all be great because we can all serve,” she continued confidently.
After being crowned, Bielawska became emotional and said, “When I heard my name, I was shocked. I still can’t believe it. I am honored to wear the Miss World crown and can’t wait to get to work. I will remember this amazing chapter in Puerto Rico for the rest of my life.”
Joining Bielawska in her court are first runner-up Shree Saini (USA) and Olivia Yace (Cote d’Ivoire).
Meanwhile, Philippines’ Tracy Maureen Perez landed in the Top 13 in the beauty pageant. She still dazzled viewers by wearing a blue bejeweled gown with a plunging neckline during the finals.
The 28-year-old beauty from Cebu was the fourth candidate called in the Top 13 but subsequently failed to enter the Top 6.