Alexandria Mills Won 2010 Miss World Amidst China-Norway Controversy
2010 Miss World beauty pageant has picked its winner on Saturday night, October 30 ceremony which was held in Sanya, China. Miss U.S.A., 18-year-old Alexandria Mills who is from Louisville, Kentucky, was crowned the new Miss World during the live final for the 60th Miss World.
However, the winning was tainted with claim that Mills' biggest rival Miss Norway, Mariann Birkendal, was cheated out of the title by the contest's Chinese hosts as China is reportedly furious since the Oslo-based Nobel Peace Prize committee awarded the coveted prize to the jailed Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo earlier this month, Daily Mail reported.
"I was sure she would win," Kathrine Sorland, a Norwegian TV personality who came fourth in Miss World 2002, said on Birkendal as quoted by the site. "They must have mixed politics and business. Without jumping to conclusions I would stress that Miss World competitions have always been political. And the relations between China and Norway are very strained at the moment."
Mills was crowned the new Miss World after fighting off 115 other contestants. Mills said while crying as she received her new title, "It's a cliche but this really is a dream come true. I can't believe it's happening to me. My time has come. I'm loving it!"
During the Saturday competition, Miss Botswana, Emma Wareus, landed the first runner-up position with Miss Venezuela, Adriana Vasini, coming in second. Meanwhile, Miss Ireland, Emma Britt Waldron secured the third runner-up position, followed by Miss China PR, Xiao Tang, and Miss Norway as the fourth and fifth runner-ups respectively.
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