Phnom Penh: After a pandemic-forced delay, Miss Grand Cambodia 2021 finally took place on Sunday. The 23-year-old Pokimtheng Sothida of Battambang beat out beauties from the country’s other provinces to take the crown. Followed by more than 18 thousand people on her Facebook page, she is already being called the “Inspiration queen”.

Sothida has a long history of winning beauty pageant, having been crowned Miss City Tourism in 2017 and Miss-Asia Pacific International Cambodia in 2019. She delivered an emotional message during the pageant, saying the crown is not just about the beauty, but the opportunity to share love and kindness, while there are so many people still suffering not just in Cambodia, but as she reminded, in the Southeast Asian nation of Myanmar.

Second place went to Kampong Cham’s In Leakena Sambor, with third place going to Sihanoukville’s Em Khuntong.