And the winner is…Miss Philippines!

Megan Young, Miss Philippines 2013, was crowned Miss World at the competition on Saturday.

The contest has faced many obstacles this year, including a mystery contestant, protests, and calls for the show to be banned. The final round of the competition was moved from Jakarta to the Indonesian resort island Bali after protests from Muslim hardliner groups in Jakarta.

The new Miss World took to her Twitter before the final round, filled with excitment.

My heart is beating faster and faster ♥

— Megan Young (@meganbata) September 28, 2013

The Miss World contest took to their Twitter to make the announcement, post photos, and prepare everyone for next year’s competition.

Megan Young takes the 'Blue Crown' and the winner MISS WORLD 2013 held in Bali, INDONESIA pic.twitter.com/ImPuEfCYT6

— Miss World 2013 (@MissWorld_2013) September 28, 2013

Thanks for watch the Final Show Miss World 2013. See you at the Miss World 2014! Good night!!! pic.twitter.com/R1OqMCqkzR

— Miss World 2013 (@MissWorld_2013) September 28, 2013

After winning the 63rd annual event, Young said, “I promise to be the best Miss World ever.”

Young, 23, was born in America, but she and her family moved to the Philippines when she was 10 years old. Since she was 15, she has appeared as a host, in films, and in television. She is currently studying digital film making, and hopes to work behind the camera. She also says in her Miss World biography that she plays video games, “has and always will be a Harry Potter fan,” and she is guided by her heart, “I think and speak from it.”

Second place in the competition went to Miss France, Marine Lorphelin, 20, and third place went to Miss Ghana, Carranzar Naa Okailey Shooter, 22.

The Islamic Defenders Front had threatened to disrupt the contest because contestants show too much skin and it goes against teachings of Islam. The group continued to protest even after organizers of Miss World had cut bikinis from the competition and replaced them with sarongs.

No protests or rallies occurred during the final round of the competition in Bali, and that may be due to the thousands of security forces deployed for the competition. The Director of Vital Security for Bali provincial police, Col. R. Umar Faroq, said, “The success in securing the Miss World final will be a benchmark for the police in securing the incoming APEC Summit.”

The APEC Summit refers to the upcoming Asia-Pacific Cooperation summit which will be held in Bali and will be attended by President Barack Obama, thousands of delegates, and many world leaders.

You can watch video of Miss Philippines being crowned Miss World 2013 in the video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66j5H2-VSFc

[Image via the official Twitter account for the Miss World competition.]