Miss Universe Pageant Crowns 2017 Winner

The 2017 Miss Universe pageant in Las Vegas ended with Miss South Africa Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters taking home the new title.

The 21-year-old Nel-Peters is from Sedgefield, South Africa. She is studying business management and entrepreneurship and works part-time as a model.

Miss Colombia Laura Gonzalez and Miss Jamaica Davina Bennett were the first and second runner-ups, respectively.

The winner was picked from 92 contestants representing 92 countries, beating the 2011 and 2012 record of 89 contestants. Women from Cambodia, Laos and Nepal competed for the first time in the event’s 66-year history.

At the end of the pageant, last year’s winner, Iris Mittenaere of France handed the crown to the winner.

The Miss Universe prize package includes an apartment in New York City; a year-long salary from the Miss Universe Organization; a year-long supply of Farouk Systems haircare products and tools; shoes from Chinese Laundry Shoes & Accessories; products from MAC Cosmetics; a membership to Gravity Fitness @ Le Parker Meridien Hotel; hair services at John Battett Salon; a chance to take photos with top fashion photographers; and other beauty products.

The winner also gets to travel internationally to support charitable causes and represent the Miss Universe Organization.

The U.S. was represented by Kara McCullough, who won Miss USA Washington, D.C. The U.S. has the most Miss Universe winners with eight, but hasn’t won since Olivia Culpo took home the title in 2012. McCullough made the top 10.

This year’s pageant was also hosted by Steve Harvey, who famously announced the wrong winner at the 2015 pageant. Harvey also hosted the 2016 pageant, which went off without a hitch.

The judges for the Miss Universe final telecast were Miss Universe 1998 Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad & Tobago; Jay Manuel of America’s Next Top Model; TV personality Ross Matthews; Megan Olivi of Fox Sports 1; YouTube star Lele Pons; and Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach of The Philippines.

Even before the show, the competition was whittled down to 16. McCullough made it to the Top 16, along with Lauren Howe of Canada and Anna Burzdy of Great Britain.