Jamaica’s Toni-Ann Singh was crowned Miss World on Saturday. Singh, 23, was born in Morant, St. Thomas, Jamaica. She is a psychology and women studies graduate of the Florida State University.
Prior to the winning the pageant, Singh was taking a year off from school before attending medical school. On Saturday, she earned an ovation from the audience after singing Whitney Houston’s hit “I Have Nothing” during the beauty pageant and after a round of questions from British journalist Piers Morgan.
“I think I represent something special, a generation of women that are pushing forward to change the world,” she told Morgan.
The two runners-up for the crown were Miss France and Miss India. Singh was crowned by last year’s winner, Vanessa Ponce de Leon of Mexico. This is the fourth time that a representative from Jamaica is crowned as Miss World since 1959. Jamaica has previously won Miss World titles in 1963, 1976 and 1993.
It’s also the first time that all top beauty pageants — Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, Miss America, Miss Universe and now, Miss World — have crowned black women as their winners. Last weekend, Zozibini Tunzi from South Africa was named Miss Universe after excelling through rounds of swimsuit and evening gown struts and answering questions about social issues.
