Olivia Rogers representing South Australia at the Miss Universe Australia 2017 finals held tonight at the Sofitel Melbourne on Collins has been crowned the new Miss Universe Australia by her gorgeous predecessor Caris Tiivel. Olivia, who is 25 years of age and is a qualified speech pathologist, defeated 31 other contestants competing for the crown to clinch the title of Miss Universe Australia 2017. Olivia was also part of our Top 15 favourites for the title.
Georgie Mitchell was the first runner-up, followed by Tahlia Getheridge-Giumelli and Marijana Radmanovic who finished as the second and the third runner-up respectively.
Miss Universe Australia 2017 had 32 beauties competing from Victoria, Western Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Northern Territory and Tasmania. Other national finalists were Genie Koulaeva, Sally Kurzke, Kate Hedges, Jordy Kuriata, Grady Wulff, Olivia Stanley, Laine Hoffman, Danica Butler, Laura O’Neill, Georgia Gravanis, Jordan Simmonds, Alecia McCallum, Elana Hoskins-Philbert, Naomi Holt, Tarrah Alexandria Burns, Nikola Sonerson, Elise Chambellant, Laura Hanlon, Serena Lyle, Chelsey Nichols, Monique Evren, Erin Scott, Tharika Rodrigo, Stella Badenoch, Artia Ratahi, Ashton Carbone, Brooke Rogers, and Emma Jade Field.
An emotional Olivia said after winning the title “Hope my eyes aren’t too red from all that crying. I’m just in shock. I keep forgetting to breathe. It doesn’t feel real. I have never done a pageant and never thought I would, I have done modelling since I was 17."
Olivia revealed that it was the bikini round which made her nervous going into the pageant's national final. "Growing up I was quite a chubby kid ... very nerdy ... I never thought I would do modelling ... The runways have always been a bit daunting, particularly bikini – it's never really been my thing. Even in front of my family, I am a bit self-conscious. So getting up on stage in front of a lot of people in not much was very scary", she said.
She added "I was a late entry. I was asked to do it back in December and I said no because I didn’t think I could do it and the thought of walking on stage in a bikini terrified me.”
Watch the crowning moment of Olivia Rogers -
What do you think of the newly crowned beauty and where do you see her in Miss Universe 2017?