Miss USA 2023: Noelia Voigt wins the competition

CNN
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Noelia Voigt of Utah was crowned the new Miss USA in Reno, Nevada, at the culmination of the 2023 pageant at the Grand Sierra Resort on Friday night, which aired live on The CW. Savannah Jankiewicz of Hawaii took second place.

Voigt, 23, beat out 50 other state title holders in the competition. At the beginning of the televised competition, the field was narrowed to 20 finalists, then whittled down to just five — Voigt, Jankiewicz, Jasmine Daniels of Pennsylvania, Lovia Alzate of Texas, and Alexis Lomans of Wisconsin — after donning the required swimsuits and evening gowns. .

When asked what she would contribute to the Miss Universe organization as a “brand ambassador” and Miss USA in the final round of Q&A, Voigt described herself as a “bilingual Venezuelan American,” and promised that she would reach out to diverse communities across the United States.

Judges included Vivica A. Fox, former “Real Housewife” Luann de Lesseps, and beauty vlogger Patrick Starr.

Leyla Rose, president and CEO of the Miss USA Organization, said in a statement in early September that the pageant aims to provide a “modern and progressive approach to a 70-year-old tradition.” After the recent rule change implemented by the Miss Universe Organization, this year’s Miss USA has emerged The first married state title holder – Juliana Morehouse Locklear from Maine. (Morehouse Locklear, the daughter of a Miss USA 1994 contestant, did not advance to the top 20.)

Voigt succeeds Miss USA 2022, Morgan Romano of North Carolina. Romano herself took over the title from Ruboni Gabriel, of Texas, who was cShe was crowned Miss Universe 2022 In January.

Gabrielle’s win in the Miss USA 2022 pageant was marred by claims by some of her fellow contestants that the pageant It was “rigged” in her favor.

In the weeks following her coronation in October 2022, Miss USA’s parent company, the Miss Universe Organization, opened an investigation and suspended then-Miss USA national director Krystle Stewart — winner of the 2008 Miss USA pageant — and her company, Miss Brands.

Gabriel, Stewart and other officials have refuted the allegations. Gabrielle told E! “There was no unfair advantage and nothing was manipulated.” News at the time, while Stewart said in a statement: “The last thing I would want to do is discredit our contestants or deny them an equal opportunity to compete fairly. I would never risk my dream of running an organization that empowers these young women.”

In August, the pageant announced the end of its partnership with Stewart. In a statement confirming that a “comprehensive and extensive investigation” into the accusations against the pageant found them to be false, Miss USA said that “after much discussion and study, (the Miss Universe Organization) and Krystle were unable to reach an agreement.” Regarding Crystle and Miss Brand’s continued involvement… Crystle has decided to leverage the success she has had with the Miss USA organization to pursue other entrepreneurial interests.

On Thursday night, also at the Grand Sierra Resort, 16-year-old Uma Sofia Srivastava, from New Jersey, was crowned Miss Teen USA. Stephanie Skinner, 19, from New York, took second place.