HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam — Miss Dominican Republic Joheirry Mola has been crowned the 75th Miss World, beating 110 contestants from around the world in the competition held in Vietnam on September 5.

The 24-year-old wore a pink and silver gown as she captured the coveted crown after impressing the judges with her response during the final question.

Asked, “Which Beauty With a Purpose have you supported in your country? And how would you improve it if you were crowned Miss World?”, Mola highlighted her work taking English-language programmes to children in vulnerable communities.

“My Beauty With a Purpose is to take English programmes to kids in vulnerable communities because I believe that when they know this language, the opportunities, the doors that can open to their life, it’s huge,” she said.

Mola said her own experience had shown her the value of English as a tool for communication and opportunity.

“I was talking to the girls and telling them that thanks to that tool, we are here. We have the tool to express our feelings, to express our purpose,” she said.

“For me, it’s something that I will take always in my heart, that I could give those kids something very important. There’s a tool that’s going to work for the rest of their life.”

Mola succeeds Opal Suchata Chuangsri of Thailand and becomes only the second woman from the Dominican Republic to win the Miss World crown.

Her journey to the final included winning the Miss World Top Model fast-track competition, where she was also named a continental winner.

Her victory caps off an exceptional Miss World outing for the Caribbean as delegates from Trinidad and Tobago, Belize, French Guiana and Puerto Rico advanced to the Top 40.

Miss Spain Elisabeth Reynés was crowned first runner-up and continental queen of Europe, while Miss Malaysia Taanusiya Chetty was named second runner-up and also received a continental title for Aisa.

The other finalists in the Top Six were Eritrea’s Snit Tewoldemedhin, Vietnam’s Bảo Ngọc Lê Nguyễn, and South Africa’s Romanda Hombir, who was crowned the continental queen of Africa.

Eritrea’s Tewoldemedhin secured her place in the Top Six after winning the People’s Choice vote, defeating Miss Nigeria in the process.

Chetty advanced after winning the Beauty With a Purpose competition for her charity work. As part of the recognition, she will travel alongside the Miss World titleholder to promote the Beauty With a Purpose initiative, a key component of the Miss World organisation.

The next Miss World competition is scheduled to take place in Tanzania.