A contestant from HCM City, Tran Thi Thuy Duong, defeated 30 finalists in the Miss Cherry Blossom 2009 pageant to become the beauty queen named after the famous Japanese flower on June 27 at the Hoa Binh Theatre in HCM City.

Miss Cherry Blossom 2009 Tran Thi Thuy Duong

Thuy Duong is a student at the Vietnam-Australia Restaurant and Hotel Management School. She said her dream is becoming a successful businesswoman and participating in many charitable activities to help society.

Thuy Duong participated in Miss Cherry Blossom 2008 and won the Best in Ao Dai title.

The girl received a prize worth 70 million dong. She will be the representative face of a world famous cosmetic brand from Japan.

Two second prizes went to Duong Thi My Duyen and Pham Thanh Tam, with 35 million dong for each of them.

The organising board also presented five prizes worth 10 million dong each, including: the Best in Ao Dai and the Audience’s Choice to Tran Thi Ngoc Anh, a stuntwoman in HCM City, Best in Sportwear to Hoang Thi Ngoc Han, Best in Night Gown to Tran Thi Thinh and Most Friendly Contestant to Duong Kim Le Bao Tran.

The winners will take part in many charity activities, especially plant Japanese cherry in Vietnam to show the friendship and unity between the two countries.

With the slogan “The beauty and the good shine together”, contestants participated in various charity activities for two months. The latest event took place on June 25 when 30 finalists visited and presented gifts to children at the Thien Phuoc Central for Disabled Children in Cu Chi, HCM City.

Miss Cherry Blossom Tran Thi Thuy Duong (072) and other winners.

Ho Thi Yen

Do Thu Trang

Duong Thi My Duyen

Pham Thanh Tam.

Pham Thanh Tam (right) is a young singer from Hanoi.

Tran Thi Ngoc Anh

Contestants shared a song with singer Ha Anh Tuan (white).

VietNamNet/VNE