Jan Milo Severo - Philstar.com
May 14, 2024 | 10:26am
MANILA, Philippines — Former Mutya ng Pilipinas candidate Savannah Gankiewicz has been crowned the new Miss USA 2023 after Noelia Voigt relinquished her title.
Miss USA organization announced that the Filipino-American beauty queen will be crowned in Hawaii on May 15.
"We are proud to crown Savannah Miss USA 2023. A true representation of vision, intelligence, and compassion," Miss USA Organization Chief Executive Officer and President Laylah Rose said in the statement.
“Her dedication to empowering women through self-love and confidence is inspiring, and we look forward to her impactful reign as Miss USA," she added.
Savannah was the first runner-up to Noelia at the Miss USA pageant held last September.
In her Instagram account, Savannah said that she accepts the crown on the behalf of her supporters, family, friends and the people of Hawaii.
"Please know that my decision to accept the Miss USA crown was not one that was made lightly. I stand with Noelia, it was the honor of a lifetime to share the stage with you during your crowning moment and I wish you all the best in your next chapter,” she said.
Born to a mother from Maui and of Filipino descent, Savannah competed at Mutya ng Pilipinas in 2017, where she ended up as finalist and received the honor Mutya ng Pilipinas Overseas Filipino Communities as representative of the Filipino-Hawaiian community. After the pageant, she lived in the Philippines for over a year to work as a model.
Noelia resigned from being Miss USA last May 7.
"I strongly value the importance of making a decision that feel best for you and your mental health. As individuals, we grow through experiencing different things in life that lead us to learning more about ourselves,” Noelia wrote on Instagram.
