Victoria Kjær Theilvig from Denmark crowned the winner

Miss Denmark is now Miss Universe!

On Saturday, November 16, contestant Victoria Kjær Theilvig became the first-ever Danish winner of Miss Universe when she took home the title during the 73rd version of the competition.

The beauty pageant, held in Mexico City, had more than 120 additional participants, with Nigeria’s Chidimma Adetshina finishing first, followed by Maria Fernanda Beltran of Mexico, Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand and Ileana Marquez Pedroza of Venezuela, according to the Associated Press and CNN.

Theilvig, 21, accepted her tiara from Miss Universe 2023, Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua.

The competition itself was held at the 20,000-capacity Mexico City Arena, with the finals hosted by Mario Lopez and Olivia Culpo, another former Miss Universe.

During the event, Theilvig urged viewers to “keep fighting… no matter where you come from,” according to CNN.

“I stand here today because I want change, I want to make history, and that’s what I’m doing tonight,” she added.

According to the AP, Theilvig is an animal rights advocate and works in diamond sales.

During her winning moment, Theilvig and Adeshina were seen excitedly holding hands while awaiting the results, before Theilvig crouched on the ground and received her accolades after the results were announced.

“With grace, intelligence and beauty you have won our hearts. Congratulations, Miss Universe 2024,” the competition wrote in an Instagram caption on Sunday, November 17, alongside photos of this year’s winner.

In a later post, Theilvig celebrated her “first sunrise” as Miss Universe. “Wake up with gratitude, dreams and a crown – ready to embrace this incredible journey. ✨,” she wrote.

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Elsewhere at the Miss Universe event, 131 mariachi musicians joined Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas for a song created by Emilio Estefan, “Mexicana” — during what the AP reported was Mexico’s third time hosting.

According to the newspaper, the competition also marked the first time that participants from Belarus, Eritrea, Guinea, Macau, the Maldives, Moldova and Uzbekistan took part.

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In addition to Miss Denmark’s victory, this year’s ceremony saw many other firsts, including women over the age of 28 being able to gain entry to Miss Universe.

Miss Universe announced the change in September 2023, stating that it would make “every adult woman in the world” eligible to compete.