SANYA, China – A 26-year old model from Mexico has been crowned as the 68th Miss World during the annual pageant’s culmination at the colorful event in China’s Sanya City Arena.
Born on March 7, 1992, Vanessa Ponce de Leon is a Mexican model and beauty queen who is the first Mexican to be crowned as Miss World.
This year, the coveted beauty pageant took place in the tropical Chinese island of Hainan on Saturday and 118 beauties from around the globe made the pageant glorious with their participation.
It is the eighth time the Miss World final was held in the coastal city of Sanya, which first hosted the pageant in 2003.
The top five contestants were from Belarus, Mexico, Uganda, Jamaica and Thailand from which Mexico grabbed the prestigious title.
Miss World 2017, Manushi Chhillar crowned her successor Vanessa Ponce De Leon.
First runner up was Thailand’s Nicolene Pichapa Limsnukan, a 20-year-old studying business administration.
Miss Mexico Vanessa Ponce de Leon, 26, is a full-time model and holds a degree in International Commerce from the University of Guanajuato and is on the board of directors of a rehab centre for girls, according to the Miss World website.
Ponce began her modelling career as a contestant on cycle 5 of Mexico’s Next Top Model in 2014 and has won the competition.
She completed 32 candidates to win the Miss World Mexico 2018 on 5 May 2018 at Salón Imperial de Villa Toscana, Sonora. Miss Mexico 2017 Andrea Meza crowned Ponce as her successor in the national title league.
