She was the favourite for the Miss World title going into the final at Earls Court, London, yesterday evening but reacted with delight and disbelief when she was announced as the winner of the famous beauty pageant. Now she said she wants to use her title to help other people.

She said: ‘Winning means everything to me and I hope to take advantage of being a winner in a productive manner. I’m unbelievably happy to have won and there are some incredible girls. I first and foremost want to help people in need. I would like to help people like me. I am an orphan. I would also like to help the elderly and troubled teenagers. As many people as I can.

‘Unfortunately I lost both my parents at a very young age which led me to study for five years in a nunnery. I spent my five years in there and my dream was to become a nun.’

Delight: Miss Venezuela reacts with disbelief after being told she has taken the title…

Ivian was all smiles as she presented to the judges earlier in the evening, and had shown surprise when she was put through to the final seven – perhaps having no inkling she would later be crowned the winner

The newly crowned Miss World, pictured outside ITV’s Daybreak studios, appeared on the breakfast show to talk about her win

Over a billion viewers from around the world tuned into see her crowned the winner, with runner up prizes going to Miss Philippines and Miss Puerto Rico. Fans who were unable to follow the final on television were kept up-to-date on the internet via live streaming and Facebook updates and tweets.

Representing the UK, Miss England, Alize Mounter, and Miss Scotland, Jennifer Reogh, both made it into the top seven. But Miss Wales, Sara Manchipp, and Miss Northern Ireland, Finola Guinnane, did not make it to the semi-final.

This was the 60th year of the beauty pageant and to celebrate its diamond anniversary, it returned to the city where it all began. The first was held in London in 1951 during the Festival of Britain on the South Bank of the River Thames.

But throughout its 60 year history, the beauty competition has attracted critics as well as fans.

This year was no different and campaign groups, including London Feminist Network, Object and UK Feminista, voiced their opposition to the ‘sexist contest’.

Runners up: Miss Puerto Rico, Amanda Victoria Vilanova Perez, left, and Miss Philippines, Gwendoline Gaelle Sandrine Ruais

Representing the UK: Miss England, Alize Mounter, left, and Miss Scotland Jennifer Reoch, made it into the top seven

Miss Korea, Kyung Min Do, showcases her eveningwear during last night’s finals, and right, Miss South Africa Bokang Ramaredi Montjane looked stunning in her yellow gown

A statement on the London Feminist Network website rallied women to join a protest they held at Earls Court while the competition was taking place.

A statement on their website said: ‘Let the organisers and all those profiting from the event know that we are all angry that such an event is once again being held here in London.

‘Bring placards, banners and raise your voice against this appalling offence against women’s equality. Let them know loud and clear that this event has no place in London in 2011.’

But Miss England director Angie Beasley disagreed with their sentiments and said the contest ‘had changed with the times’ because it was no longer just about looking good in swimwear.

She said: ‘There is a talent, sports and Beauty With A Purpose round, which is the fundraising round, in the contest and the girls love taking part.

‘Yes they have to look great to win but it’s so much more than a beauty contest. These people should give it a chance instead of thinking it’s just a bikini parade.

‘I’m all for women standing up for what they believe in which is why I run Miss England but I’m fed up of these protesters trying to bully us and push us around.

‘We live in a free society where women have the right to choose. The contestants in Miss World are quite capable of making up their own minds if they want to enter or not and protesters shouldn’t keep criticising the same decision. If you don’t like it, don’t watch it.’

Nice to see you…: Bruce Forsyth and his wife, former Miss World 1975, Wilnelia Merced, appeared on stage

The message that the competition is now about brains as well as beauty was shown by figures that revealed out of this year’s contestants, more than half are studying for a degree, one in four are graduates and more than half speak at least three languages.

The contest was also revealed to have the support of Nelson Mandela. He sent a message which was read out during the final sending his greetings to all the contestants and congratulating them on their efforts for charities.

TV presenter Bruce Forsyth also took to the stage with his wife, Wilnelia Merced, who was crowned Miss World in 1975, while dance group Diversity and boyband Blue performed for the worldwide audience.

In her new role, Miss Venezuela will now spend the year visiting and supporting a range of global charity projects supported by Miss World’s Beauty With A Purpose programme.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2058313/Miss-World-2011-winner-Miss-Venezuela-Ivian-Sarcos-dreamed-nun.html#ixzz1d5tnHdaG

Vapour’s Top Selection

1. Shahnaz Nazimuddeen (Girl Most Left)
She won Singapore F1 GrandPrix Gridgirls (1st Runner-up) 2010

2. Valerie Lim
She was Miss Singapore Earth 2009. Represented Singapore in Miss Earth 2009 – placed Top 16

3. Xuetingz Tjoa Shermaine
Model

Close Shots
4. Amanda Leong
Newcomer to pageant

5. Shn Juay
Miss Singapore Earth 2006. Failed to place at Miss Earth 2006

As of July 24, 2011, 69 delegates have been selected:

Country/Territory	Contestant	Age	Height	Hometown
Albania	Isi Topçiu-Ulaj[2]	19	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)	Tirana
Angola	Edmilza dos Santos[3]	20	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[citation needed]	Malanje
Argentina	Antonella Kruger[4]	19	1.72 m (5 ft 7 1?2 in)[4]	Buenos Aires
Aruba	Gillain Berry[5]	24	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[6]	Oranjestad
Bahamas	Sasha Joyce[7]	23	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[7]	Freeport
Belgium	Justine De Jonckheere[8]	19	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[9]	Wevelgem
Bermuda	Jana Lynn Outerbridge[10]	22	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)	St. George’s
Bolivia	Yohana Vaca[11]	23	1.77 m (5 ft 9 1?2 in)[12]	Santa Cruz
Bonaire	Benazir Berends Charles[13]	19	1.77 m (5 ft 9 1?2 in)	Kralendijk
Bosnia & Herzegovina	Snežana Kuzmanovi?[14]	16	1.77 m (5 ft 9 1?2 in)	Laktaši
Botswana	Karabo Sampson [15]	20		Tsabong
Bulgaria	Vania Peneva[16]	23	1.74 m (5 ft 8 1?2 in)[17]	Kazanlak
Canada	Riza Santos[18]	23	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[19]	Calgary
Costa Rica	Paola Chaverri[20]	19	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[citation needed]	Heredia
Croatia	Natalija Prica[21]	22	1.76 m (5 ft 9 1?2 in)[22]	Zagreb
Curacao	Monifa Jansen[23]	18	1.74 m (5 ft 8 1?2 in)	Willemstad
Cyprus	Orthodoxia Panagi [24]	19	1.69 m (5 ft 6 1?2 in)
Czech Republic	Denisa Domanská[25]	19	1.74 m (5 ft 8 1?2 in)[citation needed]	Kory?any
Ecuador	María Verónica Vargas[26]	21	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[27]	Guayaquil
El Salvador	Marcela Castro[28]	17	1.72 m (5 ft 7 1?2 in)[29]	San Salvador
England	Alize Lily Mounter[30]	22	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)	London
Finland	Sara Sieppi[31]	19	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[citation needed]	Oulu
France	Laury Thilleman[32]	19	1.79 m (5 ft 10 1?2 in)[32]	Brest
Ghana	Stephanie Karikari[33]	18	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[citation needed]	Atwima
Gibraltar	Michelle Pedersen[34]	23	1.76 m (5 ft 9 1?2 in)	Gibraltar
Guadeloupe	Frédérique Grainville[35]	20	1.71 m (5 ft 7 1?2 in)	Saint-Claude
Hungary	Linda Szunai[36]	18	1.72 m (5 ft 7 1?2 in)[36]	Nagykovácsi
Iceland	Sigrún Eva Ármannsdóttir[37]	18	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[37]	Akranes
India	Kanishtha Dhankar[38]	22	1.77 m (5 ft 9 1?2 in)[39]	Mumbai
Indonesia	Astrid Yunadi[40]	20[41]	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[41]	Surabaya
Israel	Ella Ran[42]	21	1.82 m (5 ft 11 1?2 in)[42]	Herzlia
Italy	Tania Bambaci[43]	21	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[43]	Barcellona Pozzo di Gotto
Japan	Midori Tanaka[44]	22	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)	Okayama
Kazakhstan	Zhanna Zhumaliyeva[45]	24	1.79 m (5 ft 10 1?2 in)	Uralsk
Latvia	Alise Miškovska[46]	23	1.74 m (5 ft 8 1?2 in)	Daugavpils
Lebanon	Yara Khoury-Mikhael[47]	19	1.76 m (5 ft 9 1?2 in)	Beirut
Lesotho	Nomasondo Mphakisoane[48]	24	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)	Maseru
Lithuania	Ieva Gervinskaité[49]	21	1.77 m (5 ft 9 1?2 in)[50]	Skuodas
Luxembourg	Stephanie Ribeiro[51]	22	1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)	Luxembourg
Malawi	Faith Chibale[52]	21	1.72 m (5 ft 7 1?2 in)	Lilongwe
Malta	Claire Marie Busuttil[53]	22	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)	Valletta
Mauritius	Laetitia Darche[54]	19	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)	Flic en Flac
Mexico	Cynthia de la Vega[55]	19	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)	San Pedro
Moldova	Veronica Popovici[56]	21	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)	Chi?in?u
Netherlands	Jill Lauren De Robles[57]	22	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)	Drenthe
New Zealand	Mianette Broekman[58]	22	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)	Auckland
Nigeria	Sylvia Nduka[59]	20	1.77 m (5 ft 9 1?2 in)	Taraba
Northern Ireland	Finola Guinnane[60]	22	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)[61]	Drumbo
Panama	Irene Núñez[62]	23	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)	Veraguas
Paraguay	Nicole Huber [63]	20	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)	Asunción
Peru	Odilia Garcia[64]	24	1.84 m (6 ft  1?2 in)[65]	Lima
Puerto Rico	Amanda Vilanova[66]	19	1.71 m (5 ft 7 1?2 in)	San Juan
Reunion	Emilie Maillot[67]	22	1.79 m (5 ft 10 1?2 in)	La Montagne
Russia	Natalia Gantimurova[68]	19	1.81 m (5 ft 11 1?2 in)[69]	Moscow
Scotland	Jennifer Reoch[70]	22	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)	Glasgow
Serbia	Milica Tepavac [71]	23		Sombor
Sierra Leone	Swadu Natasha Beckley[72]	22	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)	Freetown
Slovakia	Michaela ?urciková[73]	20	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)	Nové Zámky
Slovenia	Lana Mahni? Jekoš[74]	21	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[75]	Grosuplje
South Africa	Bokang Montjane[76]	24	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)	Johannesburg
Spain	Carla García[77]	20	1.76 m (5 ft 9 1?2 in)	Las Palmas
Sri Lanka	Pushpika De Silva[78]	21	1.77 m (5 ft 9 1?2 in)	Colombo
Trinidad & Tobago	Lee-Ann Forbes[79]	21	1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)	St. James
Turkey	Gizem Karaca[80]	18	1.71 m (5 ft 7 1?2 in)[81]	Istanbul
United States Virgin Islands	Esonica Veira [82]	21		St. Thomas
Uruguay	Belen Sogliano [83]	18	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)	Montevideo
Venezuela	Ivian Sarcos[84]	21	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)	Ospino
Wales	Sara Manchipp[85]	21		Port Talbot
Zimbabwe	Malaika Mushandu[86]	18	1.82 m (5 ft 11 1?2 in)	Harare