‘Yes I shoved Miss New Zealand’

Miss Malawi Susan Mtegha has admitted that she pushed Miss New Zealand during the Miss World 2012 grand finale held last Saturday in China.

She told The Weekend Times that she did so as it was her time to be on the spot.

Mtegha (right) with Miss Zimbabwe

"It is true I pushed Miss New Zealand but not because I was rude but because she was in my close up spot. Each contestant had only 30 seconds to be seen by the world. I told her to move but she didn't so I had to push her aside otherwise I would have missed my close up."

The 24-year-old Malawi queen added that later at the back stage the Miss World stage director acknowledged that she was right by pushing her to the side.

"It was said time and time again during rehearsals that no one at any point shall be in a fellow contestants' close up mark and that if that happens, you had the right to push them to the side and that is what I did," she said.

Mtegha said it was sad to note that some of her fellow Malawians wanted her to stand in the background whilst they had mentioned her name.

She said she apologised to her later for her action but insisted she was simply following procedures and that Miss New Zealand also admitted to her she was wrong.

"I understood her because being a world event where you are being seen by millions of people, you panic so that's what happened to her and she failed to move," said the Malawi queen revealing that Miss New Zealand was one of her friends.

She said she was in the same group with Miss New Zealand since all contestants were divided into groups of three.

"It's a shame it had to happen that way but between us there are no hard feelings. We had contestants stepping on other dresses and falling over that is how hectic it was but the world couldn't have seen this because it was backstage.

"All these were accidents that occur during the pageant," said Mtegha whose roommate was Miss Botswana and that her close friends were Miss Nepal, Mongolia, Tanzania and Uganda.

Mtegha. who is currently in China and failed to come back home on Wednesday after she fainted at the airport leading to her missing the flight said:

"I am fine. It was a once off thing as I have never fainted before and this was due to exhaustion and lack of sleep. I must admit it takes a lot to prepare for the competition and my body just couldn't take it anymore."

She said that she fainted at the bathroom after she checked in and was getting ready to go to the boarding gate.

"I felt dizzy and wanted to go and wash my face that is when it happened. Malawians should not worry much as I am fine. I went to the Malawian Embassy here in Beijing and I am being hosted by the Malawian Bello family and I am very grateful to them," said Mtegha.

Mtegha will be with the Bello family until her flight is rescheduled and she is not sure when will be home.

SOURCE: Bnltimes.com, 8/24/2012