Miss Mexico Vanessa Ponce de Leon won the Miss World 2018, and she is the first Mexican queen to ever win the title.

The 68th edition of the Miss World pageant was held in Sanya, China, on Saturday, December 8, 2018.

Vanessa beat 117 other queens from around the world, including Ghana’s Nana Ama Benson, who was crowned Miss Ghana 2018 in Accra on Saturday, September 29, 2018, to emerge winner.

Miss Mexico Vanessa Ponce de Leon, 26, has a degree in International Business, volunteers for ‘Migrantes en el Camino’ and is on the board of directors of a rehab centre for girls, according to the Miss World website.

The colourful Miss World ceremony included US group Sister Sledge performing their 1979 disco anthem ‘We Are Family’.

The first runner-up was Thailand’s Nicolene Pichapa Limsnukan, a 20-year-old studying Business Administration, with Miss Uganda Quiin Abenakyo coming second runner-up.

Miss Uganda also won Miss World Africa for the continental category.

It is the eighth time the Miss World final has been held in Sanya, which first hosted the pageant in 2003.