Miss South Africa, Mia le Roux, has issued a heartfelt statement following her withdrawal from the Miss Universe pageant, which concluded on Sunday in Mexico City.
The 28-year-old beauty queen, who withdrew from the international pageant days before its grand finale, has issued a statement detailing the reasons for her withdrawal, and thanking supporters who have shared kind wishes and thoughts following her exit from Miss Universe.
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“I wanted to be transparent with you all and share my story,” said the beauty queen, in a video statement published to social media. Le Roux went on to explain that vertigo – a sensation of feeling dizzy and off-balance – was the cause for her withdrawal from the pageant.
“Vertigo is a condition where it feels like you are dizzy, and there is a sense of the world spinning around you,” she said, explaining that living with a hearing impairment often causes this disorienting sensation.
“As you all know, your balance lies in your ears, so when you have a hearing impairment, there is a high chance of you having vertigo, and it’s very intense and very pronounced. This can also cause major issues with your balance.”
During her stay in Mexico City, Le Roux says that her condition lead her to seeking medical assistance.
“I had to seek medical help in Mexico City…After the medical help, my condition still wasn’t improving.”
Despite mustering the mental strength she needed to push through the pageant’s preliminary rounds, Mia says that her body would simply not allow for it.
Standing backstage, ready to showcase her South African national costume with pride, Le Roux says that her body gave in, as she began to lose her balance and fall repeatedly.
“On the night of the preliminary competition, I continued to push myself and I was ready in my national costume to showcase it proudly, but my body was just saying no…My vertigo intensified and became unmanageable,” said Le Roux, adding: “I was not able to get up and feel secure standing without support.”
After conversations with the production personnel of the pageant, Le Roux decided to withdraw from the pageant, backed by the full support of the Miss South Africa organisation.
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“I had to very quickly realise and be at peace with the fact that this was not the road that was meant for me,” she said. “I am deeply grateful to Miss South Africa Organisation for their support and for empowering me with the choice to step away,” she added.
“It was not easy, as I was not doing this just for myself, but for [South Africa] and for every single person who [has] thought they could never be on a platform like this.”
Following her exit from the pageant’s preliminary rounds, the beauty queen says she feels ‘much better’ despite the recent challenges. “I am proud to be differently abled,” she said, adding: “It’s not enough to just open doors. We need to have systems in place in order to foster true inclusivity.”
Days after Mia’s withdrawal, the Miss Universe competition drew to a close, selecting Denmark’s Victoria Kjaer Theilvig as its Miss Universe 2024.
Returning back to home grounds, Mia le Roux shows her excitement for the road ahead, staying true to her core vision for inclusivity.
“I hope this experience can help to educate the world of pageantry and beyond,” she said, adding: “I will continue to serve as your Miss South Africa to support and uplift those who come after me with my unbreakable spirit, and the exciting year ahead,’ she said.
“I will keep righting for myself and everyone else with dreams and passions who lack the systems to achieve them. Together, we can create new standards and new norms. I am so proud to still be your Miss South Africa.”
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Feature Image: Instagram / @mialerouxx
