Miss World 2014 Winner Rolene Strauss, Miss South Africa: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

Miss South Africa Rolene Strauss, 22, is the winner of the 2014 Miss World competition. Miss Hungary Edina Kulcsár was the runner up and Miss United States Elizabeth Safrit came in third place. Read on for the facts on the beauty pageant winner. And, in case you missed the big event, check out the full video of the grand finale in the above video. For the best coverage, start the video at the 6:30 mark.


1. Medicine Is Her Life

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E! News reports that:

Strauss, the daughter of a doctor and nurse, is a fourth-year medical student who had put her studies on hold. She had said becoming Miss South Africa and later Miss World and studying medicine were her childhood dreams.

Strauss said, “Many people change their visions of what they want to become as they grow older. Mine never changed: I’ve always known that I would study medicine, just like my father. I was known as ‘Little Dr Strauss’ in town, as I followed my dad everywhere he went,” while she was growing up. Currently Strauss attends the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, though Strauss is originally from Volksrust, Mpumalanga


2. She’s Dreamed of Being a Pageant Winner Since She Was 8 Years Old

Miss World 2014 Winner, Miss South Africa Rolene Strauss, Miss World Rolene Strauss Winner 2014, Miss World 2014 Crowning

It was reported that Strauss has dreamed of being a beauty pageant winner since she was a child.

At an early age of 8, Rolene Strauss witnessed the crowning of Miss SA in the year 2000, when Jo-Ann Strauss won the title. The two are not related to each other – they coincidentally share the same surname. She dreamed of winning the title one day, and scooped the title herself in March 2014.

As far as her being Miss South Africa, Strauss told Oprah Magazine:

Miss South Africa is all about giving, and that’s why I entered the competition. South Africa is my pride. I am who I am because of our country and the opportunities she has given me. It is now time to start giving back. The pageant is the ideal platform for giving back and making a difference.


3. Strauss Was Criticized For Weight Gain Before the Miss World Competition

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Reportedly Strauss was criticized for her weight prior to the Miss World competition.

In early-August 2014, Rolene received heavy criticism for her weight gain.[7] This subsequently led to Sun International issuing a press statement that Rolene would only begin her fitness regimen for the international pageants in mid-August.[8] Rolene has teamed up with supplement-giant USN, as well as Virgin Active for her strenuous 12-week body transformation, which is scheduled to end just in time for Miss World 2014.


4. Megan Young of the Philippines Was the Previous Winner

Megan Young of the Philippines crowned Miss South Africa as Miss World 2014. Strauss is the third South African woman to win the Miss World pageant


5. The People’s Choice Winner Was Miss Thailand

As we know, Miss South Africa was the winner of the competition and Miss Thailand Nonthawan Thongleng was the winner of the People’s Choice award. As for the rest of the top 5 contestants, it was Miss United States Elizabeth Safrit, Miss Hungary Edina Kulcsár, Miss England Carina Tyrrell, and Miss Australia Courtney Thorpe.


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