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8 Things To Know About Miss Philippines Catriona Gray, The Newest Miss Universe

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Dec 17, 2018 10:23 am·

By Laura Rizzo

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What a night! Dec. 17 marked the 67th Miss Universe pageant. This year, Miss Philippines, Catriona Gray, took home the coveted crown. The 24-year-old singer and model came out victorious over first runner-up Miss South Africa, Tamaryn Green, and third place Miss Venezuela, Sthefany Gutiérrez. Keep scrolling to learn eight things about the newest Miss Universe.

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Miss Philippines red dress Miss Universe pageant

Her Mom Predicted She Would Win.

“When I was 13 my mom said she had a dream that I would win Miss Universe in a red dress,” Catriona said about her choice to wear the sparkly red number that she was crowned in.

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Miss Philippines at Miss Universe pageant

She Grew Up In Australia.

Catriona is half-Scottish and half-Filipino. Her father is from Australia which is why the beauty queen spent most of her childhood in Cairns, Australia. She moved to the Philippines when she was 18.

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Catriona Gray Miss Philippines Miss Universe

She Is A Singer.

Catriona has a lot of musical talent. She attended Berklee School of Music in Boston, MA and received a degree in music theory. She told Steve Harvey during the show, “Once I started music, it just was fulfilling in a way that everything else wasn’t. My mom told me even in the womb I was dancing.”

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Catriona Gray Miss Philippines Miss Universe colorful wheel and costume

She’s Passionate About Travel.

The 24-year-old model runs a blog called Cat’elle where she documents her travels around the United States, Philippines, China, and Vietnam.

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She Works To Fight Poverty In The Philippines.

37% of the population in Manila lives below the poverty line. Catriona’s Paraiso: The Bright Beginnings Project works to help give back.

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Miss Philippines Catriona Gray crowned winner

This Is A Big Win For The Philippines.

This is the fourth time in the history of the pageant that someone from the Southeast Asian country has taken home the world-renowned title.

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She’s A Former Martial Artist.

You go, Catriona! According to the show’s announcers, she earned her black belt at just 12 years old.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBn_3jZTETY

She’s Best Known For Her “Lava Walk.”

The model made a name for herself with her signature “lava walk.” She does a slow-motion turn while strutting down the runway and fans absolutely love it.

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