Miss World 2021 finally crowned after Covid-19 delays

Poland's Karolina Bielawska took the top title on Wednesday in Puerto Rico

Miss World 2021 contestants arrive at their hotel in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. A total of 98 participants competed for the crown. All photos: EPA

From left, Miss France, April Benayoum; Miss Japan, Tamaki Hoshi; Miss Venezuela, Alejandra Conde; and Miss Somalia, Khadija Omar, at the welcoming ceremony.

Miss World 2021 was to be crowned on December 16, 2021, but was finally crowned on March 16, 2022.

Toni-Ann Singh from Jamaica is the longest-reigning Miss World, having held the title since 2019 owing to the pageant being cancelled in 2020.

Miss World Colombia, Andrea Aguilera.

Miss World Bahamas, Sienna Evans, speaks with her companions Miss France, April Benayoum, Miss Japan, Tamaki Hoshi, Miss Venezuela, Alejandra Conde, Miss Somalia, Khadija Omar and Miss Cameroon, Audrey Nabila.

Miss World Puerto Rico, Aryam Diaz.

Miss World 2021 contestants wave the Puerto Rican flag at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico.

Beauty queens flocked to Puerto Rico on Wednesday once again for the finals of Miss World 2021 after the event was delayed from December following an outbreak of Covid-19 among contestants.

Scroll through the gallery above to see photos of the contestants in Puerto Rico in December.

Reigning Miss World, Toni-Ann Singh from Jamaica, the longest title-holder in history, took to the stage to perform a rendition of Never Enough from The Greatest Showman, before crowning her successor.

Poland's Karolina Bielawska took the title of Miss World 2021, with Shree Saini from the US as first runner-up and Olivia Yace from Cote d'Ivoire as second runner-up.

The other candidates in the top six were Pricilia Carla Yules from Indonesia, Karolina Vidales from Mexico and Anna Leitch from Northern Ireland.

Manasa Varanasi from India was in the top 12, as did Miss Philippines Tracy Maureen Perez, an engineer and host, who wore a gown by Filipino designer Harvey Cenit, who lives and works in the UAE.

Miss Somalia Khadija Omar, the first hijab-wearing Miss World contestant, made the top 40.

The finals, which were hosted by British singer Peter Andre and Mexican star Fernando Allende, took place at the Coca-Cola Music Hall in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

During the pageant, a 70-piece Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra performed while candles were also lit for Ukraine as the Russian invasion continues. Candidates sang Andrea Bocelli’s The Prayer, asking for peace for Ukrainians, and Miss World Ukraine 2016 Oleksandra Kucherenko shared her experiences in a video message.

It is the 70th iteration of the event, which was launched in 1951 by Eric Morley, who became known as "Mr World″ after he founded the famed beauty pageant.

The competition was created in the UK and is the oldest-running international beauty pageant. Since his death in 2000, Morley's widow, Julia Morley, has been co-chairwoman of the event.

To enter, contestants must be unmarried and childless, between the ages of 17 and 27 and be a resident of the country they represent.

The event, which was planned for December 2021, was rescheduled for March 16 after a Covid-19 outbreak during the preliminary rounds at the pageant in Puerto Rico.