Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)

Pageant winner Bianca makes waves and has big plans for future

- KEAGAN MITCHELL keagan.mitchell@inl.co.za

SHE impressed the judges with her personalit­y, presentati­on and fluency to be crowned Miss Junior Africa 2022 and Junior Queen of Africa 2022.

Bianca Langedyk, 16, from Durbanvill­e, also had the overall highest score at the recent competitio­n and made history by becoming the first person to win the same title three times over 12 years. “I see the titles awarded to me as an opportunit­y to be a role model to other young girls, to set an example and be an inspiratio­n to them. It was a tough competitio­n, with strong competitor­s. I knew everyone prepared well and came to win.

“I don’t really get stuck on previous achievemen­ts. I believe you are just as good as your last. I always see my next competitio­n as a new goal for which I have to work even harder as the competitio­n is always getting stronger.

“I have to be honest and admit that before the competitio­n it did cross my mind that it would be nice to have the overall title for a third time, but as always you can just pitch up and give your 100%,” she said.

Bianca, a member of the Reana van Tonder Modelling School, has won a number of competitio­ns over

u s e the years including Miss Petite Teen South Africa 2020, Miss Teen Rainbow Nations 2020 and Little Miss Teen South Africa 2017.

“Well, first and foremost, the stage is my playground, I love the adrenaline rushing through my body when I am on the stage. Secondly, pageantry gives me the opportunit­y to constantly improve myself by setting higher goals. Thirdly, pageantry creates a platform to do charity work and by winning titles like Miss Junior Africa it gives young people like myself a louder voice to make a great impact.

“When it comes to pageantry my next big goal is to win the title of Miss Junior South Africa. Apart from modelling, I also do ballet, contempora­ry drama and singing and would like to use the combinatio­n of all my talents to hopefully one day win an Oscar,” she said.

Her mother,

Nadia, said: “We are very proud of the grounded young lady she is growing up to be. She is a normal teenager with normal teenager quirks, but we are thank-ful every day for the energetic, hard-working girl that we have.”

Chief executive of Pageants SA and Africa Pageants Carolyn Botha said they had never had the same young lady win Junior Queen of Africa three times and in four-year intervals. “This title is awarded to a young lady that achieves the highest score of all the contestant­s who compete in the pageant and Bianca Langedyk has managed to win this title from the tender age of seven years old. This achievemen­t is absolutely remarkable and definitely will go down in the history of pageants in South Africa,” she said.

 ?? | JANINE PRETORIUS ?? BIANCA Langedyk was recently crowned Miss Junior Africa 2022 and Junior Queen of Africa 2022.
| JANINE PRETORIUS BIANCA Langedyk was recently crowned Miss Junior Africa 2022 and Junior Queen of Africa 2022.

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