Zozibini Tunzi was earlier this year crowned as Miss South Africa. Now she can also call herself Miss Universe.

The 26-year-old model and beauty queen Zozibini Tunzi from south Africa is named to the Miss Universe 2019.

She is the third woman from south Africa to win the title and the first black woman to win since 2011, Leila Lopes from Angola race with the victory.

Zozibini Tunzi won ahead of two other finalists from Puerto Rico and Mexico in a flashy show, as the american tv personality Steve Harley was the host.

In his closing speech told Zozibini Tunzi, that she would like to help young women to feel confident.

I grew up in a world where women who look like me - with my skin and my hair - were never considered as beautiful, she said, according to AFP news agency.

- It has to stop today.

Tunzi won in front of more than 90 other participants from around the world in the 68. edition of Miss Universe, which this year was held at Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, UNITED states.

Zozibini Tunzi was earlier this year awarded to Miss south Africa 2019.

The Danish participant, 23-year-old Miss Denmark Katja Stokholm, reached not far in the Miss Universe competition, which was held on the night of Monday Danish time.

She did not therefore cut to the top 20.

The two favorites ahead of the show, Miss Thailand and Miss Philippines, reached not in the top 10.

Contestants for Miss Universe are nominated from local organisations in countries that wish to participate.

the Competition will be held over two weeks, where the participants are separated, until a team of 20 is ready for a real finale.

Miss Universe slogan is "Confidently Beautiful" (self-confident beauty, red.).

Although she did not reaching the finals, got the Miss Myanmar, whose name is Swe Zin Htet, great attention in the last week, when she appeared as the first gay contestant in the competition.

- I have a platform that makes that if I tell that I'm a lesbian, it will have a big impact on the LGBTQ community at home in Burma, she told to the magazine People.

Swe Zin Htet use the historical name for the country, which today is called Myanmar.

Homosexuality is forbidden in Myanmar and can be punished with life imprisonment.

In 2018 attended the first transgender person in Miss Universe in the form of Angela Ponce from Spain.

/ritzau/