Russian crowned Miss World in South Africa

Source: Agencies  |   2008-12-15  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

RUSSIAN blonde Ksenia Sukhinova has been crowned the 58th Miss World after a two-hour spectacle in South Africa that combined elements of travelogue and reality show, and the kind of flag-waving usually seen at sports events.

Sukhinova beamed as she was crowned on Saturday, and was composed and smiling moments late in a brief interview with The Associated Press. She said her immediate ambitions included meeting Russia's president, and that she planned to return soon to her studies at the Tyumen Oil and Gas University in her home region of northwestern Siberia.

"I am so happy to be here," she said of South Africa, which was hosting its sixth Miss World final. "I am so excited. It's amazing."

Sukhinova, who in a biography on the Miss World Website listed becoming a super model as a goal, had also won the contest's top model award and was third in the swimsuit competition. She was a crowd favorite - though not as popular as hometown beauty Miss South Africa, Tansey Coetzee. Coetzee made the final five.

Second runner-up was Miss Trinidad and Tobago, Gabrielle Walcott. First runner-up was Miss India, Parvathy Omankuttan. Miss Angola, Brigite Santos, completed the top five.

In addition to the swimsuit and modeling segments, the 109 contestants competed in a "pentathlon" that included building a small boat and taking soccer penalty kicks.