Moment Miss Universe contestant falls on stage as fans insist crown was ‘stolen’ from runner-up in ‘rigged’ competition
MISS Universe 2024 has been crowned after a heated competition that saw one contestant tumble to the ground in an on-stage blunder.
Danish competitor Victoria Kjær Theilvig sparked an outcry of online fury after winning the esteemed beauty pageant, as furious fans say the competition was rigged.
The 21-year-old beauty queen took home the prize on Saturday night in Mexico City, Mexico, beating out Miss USA 2024 Alma Cooper.
Theilvig is an animal rights activist who works in the diamond-selling industry, and she's the first Denmark native to ever take home the crown.
During Saturday's events, she boldly told the crowd that she came to "make history" and urged supporters to continue fighting for what's right.
This year's competition was filled with memorable moments, chief among them being the time Miss Norway Lilly Sodal crashed out in front of her competitors.
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The blunder came after a crew of glammed-out contestants lined up on stage to yell out their home countries as the crowd cheered them on.
After greeting the audience, the small group of women walked backstage in a line, and the next group strutted out to replace them.
In the back of the new line came Sodal, who walked in a bit too quickly around the corner and made a sharp fall to the ground.
Just as soon as she fell, Sodal hopped back up and was greeted by passing competitors who grabbed her arm to make sure she was OK.
However, the fearless candidate didn't miss a beat and waltzed up to her microphone to fix her hair and greet the screaming crowd of 20,000 people.
Fans were sympathetic toward Sodal's blunder but voiced their awe at how seamlessly she managed to recover.
"Poor Norway, but she was very professional," one viewer said as another wrote, "so cute the girl who was going to return to help."
"Looked like it hurt," exclaimed a fan.
BEAUTY RIVALS
The tight race between Theilvig and third runner-up Miss Thailand Suchata Chuangsri also enraptured beauty pageant fans.
Chuangsri had a great showing in this year's competition and was a fan favorite to win.
However, she barely fell short, and fans saw this as a sign the pageant was rigged and her crown "stolen."
Who is Miss USA 2024?
Miss Michigan Alma Cooper was crowned Miss USA 2024 on August 4, 2024.
The 22-year-old is from is from Okemos, Michigan.
Cooper is an Army officer and data scientist pursuing a master's degree in statistics at Stanford University.
She previously studied at the United States Military Academy West Point, where she graduated with honors.
She's also an advocate for the nonprofit Feeding America.
During the Miss USA final, she told judges why she deserved to win the crown.
"As the daughter of a migrant worker, a proud Afro-Latina woman, and an officer in the United States Army, I am living the American dream," Cooper said.
She was crowned by Savannah Gankiewicz of Hawaii.
"They never want a Black nor Asian queen,"; one outraged fan said on X.
"What even is the point of it anymore, only for politics and marketing now."
Another furious viewer slammed "biased" judges and said the show will always be rigged until they're removed.
"When someone with such bias holds power, it compromises the integrity of the event," they wrote.
This was the 73rd annual Miss Universe competition, and more than 120 contestants gathered from around the world with hopes of leaving with a crown.
Cooper, an Army officer and data scientist, made a huge splash with her Uncle Sam-inspired gown on Thursday, but despite her best efforts, she didn't make it to the top 12.
Actor Mario Lopez and former Miss University Olivia Culpo hosted the event, which featured a performance from Robin Thicke.
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Despite the controversy, Theilvig shrugged off the haters with an Instagram post expressing her excitement at the journey ahead.
"Heading to Miami to begin this incredible journey - ready to make unforgettable memories," she said on Instagram.