Russian named new Miss World, Miss India runner up

Johannesburg: Blonde Russian Kseniya Sukhinova was crowned the 58th Miss World on Saturday after a two-hour spectacle in South Africa.

Sukhinova said her immediate ambitions included meeting Russia's president, and that she planned to return soon to her studies at the Tyumen Oil and Gas University in her home region of northwestern Siberia.

"I am so happy to be here," she said of South Africa, which was hosting its sixth Miss World final. "I am so excited. It's amazing."

Sukhinova, who in a biography on the Miss World website listed becoming a super model as a goal, also had won the contest's top model award and was third in the swimsuit competition. She was a crowd favorite — though not as popular as hometown beauty Miss South Africa, Tansey Coetzee. Coetzee made the final five.

First runner up was Miss India, Parvathy Omankuttan. Second runner up was Miss Trinidad and Tobago, Gabrielle Walcott. Miss Angola, Brigite Santos, completed the top five.

In addition to the swimsuit and modeling segments, the 109 contestants competed in a "pentathlon" that included building a small boat and taking soccer penalty kicks; a talent show; and an event showcasing their charity work in the month-long lead-up to Saturday's live international broadcast.

The contest was to have taken place in Ukraine, but was moved to South Africa because of tensions between Russia and Georgia and fears conflict could spread to Ukraine. South Africa has hosted more Miss World finals than any other country.