Miss Nevada, Nia Sanchez, 24, has won the title of Miss USA this past Sunday, Jun. 8. The competition marked the 63rd telecast of the 3-hour annual beauty pageant. The pageant was broadcast live on NBC from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. It was co-hosted by Giuliana Rancic of “E!News” and Thomas Roberts of “Way Too Early.” The contestants were judged on the classic three categories: swimsuit, evening gown, and interview.
Miss Nevada -Nia Sanchez, Crowned Miss USA – Photo: Patrick Prather/Miss Universe Organization
The contestants came from all 50 US states and the District of Columbia. They entered the stage on flashy float as Marc Broussard sang New Orleans hits. As confetti fell in the background, the beauties introduced themselves, holding Mardi Gras masks in their hands.
Sanchez addressed the issue of sexual assault on college campuses during her question and answer session in her red, fishtail gown. She promoted awareness on the issue so that women will learn the proper means of protecting themselves. The Las-Vegas stunner also expressed that some colleges may understate these issues in order to maintain a good reputation.
Sanchez described how being a 4th degree black belt in Taekwondo taught her that, “you need to be confident and able to defend yourself…that’s something we need to start to implement for a lot of women.” Sanchez learned this at a young age, telling reporters about how she lived with her mother in a women’s shelter for some time. This is why when Sanchez was 8 years old she took up Taekwondo. More recently, she has volunteered at women’s shelter to teach them how to defend themselves and instruct children about “stranger danger”. The first runner up was Audra Mari, 20, from North Dakota.
The other finalists came from Georgia, Louisiana, Iowa, and Florida. Mari spoke about her struggles with bullying in high school and how she overcame them by competing in ice hockey. The runner-up wore a green gown and discussed the importance of education in her final interview.
Sanchez expressed her pride in bringing the title of Miss USA back to Nevada. She described the experience as “a dream come true”. Miss USA 2013, Erin Brady of Connecticut, handed off her crown to Sanchez. Sanchez will compete in the international Miss Universe competition representing the U.S. later this year.
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