‘I’m honoured to win the first Miss Supranational crown for Africa’, says Namibian beauty Chanique Rabe

Newly crowned Miss Supranational Chanique Rabe says she is honoured to become the first African to carry the sash after she beat 57 hopefuls to the title on Saturday. 

She also won a cash prize of $35,000 (about R533,000). 

Rabe was crowned at the glamorous event in Nowy Sącz, Poland.

She took to Instagram on Sunday to share her crowing moment and thanked the Miss Supranational organisation for the opportunity. She also gave a shoutout to former title-holder Anntonia Porsild of Thailand for being inspirational. 

“It is still sinking in. All I can say is thank you. Thank you to the Miss Supranational organisation for giving me this opportunity and thank you to everyone for every single message, phone call and gesture. A big congratulations to all the contestants. What a wonderful journey it has been.

“I am so grateful and honoured to be here and excited for what’s to come,” she wrote. 

SA’s Thato Mosehle was crowned the second-runner up. She made history as the first woman of colour to represent the country at the pageant and the first under the official Miss SA banner.

She told the Sunday Times ahead of the competition she felt pressure being SA’s representative on a global stage.

“The run-up to Miss Supranational has been quite different to Miss SA. With Miss SA, there were 10 other girls in the finals. You could do your own thing and it was calmer. Now I am the country’s representative, everyone is rooting for me, everyone expects me to win,” she said. 

On Sunday, Mosehle congratulated Rabe, saying her win is significant for the continent.

“I know you’ll have a fantastic and impactful reign, continue spreading light and kindness. It’s time for Africa,” she said.