Atlanta: Zozibini Tunzi took the crown on December 8, in Atlanta at the end of a telecast hosted once again by Steve Harvey.
She is the third South African to be crowned Miss Universe. Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters won in 2017 and Margaret Gardiner was before her in 1978.
Twenty-six-year-old Tunzi is from Tsolo, South Africa. She is passionate about encouraging natural beauty and crusades against gender bias.
Miss Puerto Rico Madison Anderson is this year's runner-up with Miss Mexico Sofia Aragon as the second runner-up.
Tunzi's crown is a new one. Jewelry designer Mouawad created a new Power of Unity crown worth 5 million (USD) for the new Miss Universe.
The crown features 18-karat gold vines and ivy leaves inlaid with more than 1,770 diamonds. The ivy and vine are meant to represent the seven continents. It's flanked by two smaller diamonds cut from the same stone mined from Botswana.
From India, Vartika Singh, who was recently crowned Miss Diva Universe 2019, was representing the country at the 68th edition of the Miss Universe competition.
With inputs from APTN
