Granny craves Miss Universe crown - 14th October 2024

Miss Universe - the world-famous beauty pageant - has updated its rulebook, amending its regulations on the age of contestants. Until 2024, it was confined to 18-28 year olds, but those restrictions have now been lifted. Even so, this year organisers may not have suspected that the most senior competitor would be 80!

South Korean entrant Choi Soon-hwa took part in the local rounds, with a view to reaching the grand final in Mexico, to be staged in November. Her presence caused some commotion amongst other contenders, who doubted that she was a genuine octogenarian.

Age aside, the fact that she'd been married and had offspring would previously have ruled Ms Choi out. The pageant has steadily become increasingly inclusive, now embracing married women, mothers and transgender women, with the final obstacle on the road to diversity being the age limit.

In her younger days, Ms Choi worked in a textile factory and as a religious minister, but following retirement, her family fell on difficult times, and she gained employment as a care assistant. There, a patient recommended she try her hand at modelling, rekindling a past dream.

Enrolling on a modelling course in her seventies, Ms Choi made her catwalk debut at Seoul Fashion Week in 2018 when she was 73, having been engaged by a modelling agency. The grandmother harboured ambitions to grace the international stage, however, and figured that Miss Universe might hold the key.

Although the South Korean crown actually went to Han Ariel, a 22 year-old fashion student, Ms Choi did waltz away with the prize for the "Best Dressed" entrant. And given her age, and her status as the oldest ever beauty contestant, Ms Choi also gained the international attention she'd been craving, and can now expect the gilded gates of global fashion houses to unlock for her.

Shortly afterwards, she said, "I want people to look at me and realise that you can be healthier and find joy in your life when you find things to challenge yourself to achieve that dream." No doubt this glamorous grandmother won't just be radiating beauty, but also vibes of inspiration.