Nigeria’s representative at the 73rdMiss Universe competition, Chidimma Adetshina, has expressed her excitement after finishing as the first runner-up at the prestigious global pageant held in Mexico on Sunday.

The final moments of the prestigious event at the Arena CDMX in Mexico City, early Sunday morning, saw an electrifying face-off between Nigeria and Denmark, as the two women stood poised to claim the crown.

Miss Denmark, Victoria Kjaer Theilvig, ultimately won the crown, taking over from Miss Universe 2023, Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua.

In an interview following her success and shared on X.com by the Miss Universe Nigeria organisation, Adetshina expressed excitement and pride, saying, “I’m so excited. I don’t have words to describe what I’m feeling right now, but I’m so proud of myself, and I just made history!”

Adetshina’s achievement came after fierce competition among 126 contestants representing countries from all corners of the world, including 18 African nations.

Her exceptional performance and grace reportedly earned her widespread admiration from judges and audiences alike.

Adetshina’s journey to the Miss Universe stage was not without its challenges.

Earlier this year, she withdrew from the Miss South Africa 2024 competition, where she had advanced to the final stage due to a controversy surrounding her nationality.

However, this did not deter her from pursuing her pageant dreams.

Shortly after, she received an invitation to compete in Miss Universe Nigeria, where she emerged as the winner, representing Taraba State. (Sunday PUNCH: Text, Excluding Headline)