Vietnamese beauty queen Duong Truong Thien Ly Tuesday was announced winner of Miss World 2008’s People’s Choice Award

Vietnamese beauty Duong Truong Thien Ly has won the People’s Choice Award at the Miss World 2008 contest in South Africa, the pageant’s official website announced Tuesday.

On the grand final night last Saturday, organizers said the award was not being included “due to technical reasons beyond control” and pledged to announce it on Monday. Russia’s Ksenya Sukhinova was crowned Miss World 2008 after beating 108 other international beauties.

Earlier, the 1.67-meter tall Thien Ly had said she was unlikely to win the crown due to her modest height.

However, global bookmakers had said Ly is among the top contenders, according to globalbeauties.com.

According to postings on November 20, Boyle Sports ranked Ly and Miss Ecuador as tied for third at 12 to 1 odds while Ly was also ranked third by Stan James’ ranking with odds of 14 to 1.

Bet 365 ranked Ly in equal fifth position with Miss Namibia at 12 to 1 odds. Ly and Miss Trinidad and Tobago shared the fourth position in Game Bookers with odds of 13 to 1.

Ly, a second runner up at Miss Universe Vietnam 2008, had the best pre-competition odds of any Vietnamese Miss World contestant.

She was chosen to attend the pageant in Johannesburg, South Africa, to replace Miss Vietnam 2008 Tran Thi Thuy Dung, after Dung was disqualified for not having graduated from senior high school.

Source: Thanh Nien