Chelsi Tashaleen Shikongo, 23, of Walvis Bay, Erongo, Namibia has been crowned as Miss Namibia 2021. She bested 17 other finalists.

Hosted by Adriano Visagie, the Miss Namibia 2021 coronation ceremony took place in Windhoek, Namibia on June 5, 2021 and was broadcast live on NBC1. Nic Kruger, Umbi Karuaihe, Ntwala Mwilima, Cynthia Schimming and Robinson Hangula served as the judges.

Runner-up to Shikongo was Annerie Maré, 26, of Kamanjab. Michelle Mukuve, 21, of Rundu was second runner-up while Aurelia Samuyenga, 23, of Windhoek and Chane Ann Marshall, 26, of Swakopmund finished in the Top 5.

Aside from winning the Miss Namibia 2021 title, Shikongo also won the Miss Photogenic and Top Model awards. Maré was named Miss Fitness.

Chloe Ashley Brandt, 22, of Uis was Miss Public Speaking while Shahida van Zyl, 25, of Windhoek was Miss Congeniality. The other finalists were Windhoek residents Ester Ashipala, 27, Happy Auala, 26, Prisca Anyolo, 25, and Andeline Wieland, 25, as well as Helvi Amadhila, 26, of Ongwediva, Milumbe Katowa, 25, of Swakopmund, Stella da Costa, 23, of Opuwo and Chantay Ndjawella, 19, of Tsumeb.

Whilie Shikongo was born in Swakopmund, Erongo, Namibia, she grew up in Walvis Bay. She is now based in Cape Town, South Africa where she works as a full-time model.

Shikongo is the eldest of six children. Her heritage is a mix of two Namibian tribes namely Kwanayama and Otjiherero and she speaks Afrikaans and English.

Passionate about sex education, Shikongo founded I Can Say No in February 2015. The youth empowerment campaign promotes abstinence to minimize the rate of teenage pregnancies and prevent unwanted pregnancies through effective communication programs in Namibia.

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Before being crowned Miss Namibia 2021, Shikongo modeled for First National Bank, Sorbet, Spree, Style Magazine, Truworths and Woolworths. She will represent Namibia in Miss Universe 2021, which is tentatively set in Costa Rica in December 2021.

If Shikongo wins Miss Universe 2021, she will be the beauty pageant’s second titleholder from Namibia. The first is Miss Universe 1992 Michelle McLean.

The last time Namibia placed in Miss Universe was in 2003. Ndapewa Alfons finished in the Top 10.

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Miss Universe was formed on June 28, 1952. It is one of the top four international beauty pageants along with Miss World, Miss International and Miss Earth.

On November 29, 2020, Roxanne Allison Baeyens, 23, of Baguio City, Philippines competed against 83 other candidates at Miss Earth 2020 and ranked third, winning the Miss Earth-Water 2020 title. She lost to Miss Earth 2020 Lindsey Coffey, 29, of the United States and the runner-up Miss Earth-Air 2020 Stephany Zreik, 25, of Venezuela.

Representing Baguio City, Baeyens was crowned Miss Philippines Earth 2020 on July 26, 2020. She was born in Baguio City to her Belgian father Walter Baeyens and her Filipino mother Julia Agnaonao-Baeyens, who is from Catengan, Besao, Mountain Province, Philippines.