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Claudia is SA's early bird...
30/05/2005 23:36 - (SA)
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| South Africa's Miss Universe 2005 contestant Claudia Henkel is applauded by fellow contestants Laura Elizondo Erhard from Mexico and Shermain Jeremy from Antigua and Barbuda during a rehearsal in Bangkok, Thailand. (Sakchai Lalit, AP) |
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Bangkok - The early bird catches the worm, it is said - and Claudia Henkel, South Africa's entrant in the Miss Universe competition, was to have risen at 04:00 for the most-exciting moment in her life at 08:00 (03:00 SA time) when the contest was due to begin.
Voted the "Hottest at Universe" in the preliminary rounds of the Miss Universe contest, she also was named on www.missuniverse.bravehost.com as the No 1 candidate to win the crown.
Miss Canada was placed second and Miss Puerto Rico third.
Claudia was a hot favourite with the bookies as well: her chances were rated at 14/1 and 16/1 and her biggest competition was seen as Miss Canada, Natalie Glebova, at 7/1 and 10/1.
Vanessa Carreira, Miss South Africa 2001, said Claudia had "the best chance of any Miss South Africa since Margaret Gardiner to walk away with the title".
'Unbelievable stage presence'
"I met Claudia before she was crowned Miss South Africa. It was at another beauty pageant where I was a judge. The moment she appeared on stage, I was impressed," said Vanessa.
"She was regal and elegant and obviously she won that competition.
"I approached her afterwards and said she should enter for the Miss South Africa competition." said Vanessa.
She added that Claudia had an unbelievable "stage presence" and "star quality" .
Why such an early start for the competition, however?
The competition was due to take place so early in the morning because it was being broadcast directly in peak time on American television, where it was already night.
The United States draws the most viewers for this competition.
- News24
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