SOPHIE VAULTS TO STARDOM WITH MISS SUPERCARS RIBBON
AN ex-Olympic level gymnast whose dream was dashed by back fractures has won this year’s Miss Supercars title.
Darwin’s Sophie Budack, 23, beat runner-up Gold Coaster Michaela Arnott, 22, and Brisbane’s Nicole Hall, 26, the second runner up.
Miss Budack, an aspiring sports journalist who prior to Miss Supercars had never modelled or entered any similar contests, said she had entered to build confidence.
Despite no expectations, her win secures a $25,000 prize package including $1000 cash and $4000 worth of public relations training.
“To be crowned the winner is something I could have only dreamt of,” she said. “Is this actually happening?”
She qualified for the Australian Olympics team to compete at the 2012 London Games but back fractures stopped her taking part.
“You live, eat and breath gymnastics, just like these Supercar drivers do. It was absolutely heartbreaking but everything happens for a reason – one door closes, you open another,” she said.
“If you had asked me a week ago if I thought I would be doing this, no way.”
Miss Budack said she wouldn’t have entered if bikinis were still the norm but Miss Supercars has ditched its famed chequered two-piece for a stylish one piece.
She said she couldn’t go back to competitive gymnastics as her back would not handle it.
Her specialty was vault. “I had stress fractures for quite a few years. It’s very strenuous doing that repeatedly.”
Coast oncology nurse Charlotte Cushing, last year’s Miss Supercars winner, handed over her crown on Saturday.