Sanchez Named Miss USA 2014

It’s a crowning achievement for Miss Nevada Nia Sanchez

The 24-year-old half-Mexican American beauty queen, a fourth-degree black belt in the Korean martial art of taekwondo, has been crowned Miss USA 2014, becoming the first woman from the state of Nevada to win the title.

Nia Sanchez

Sanchez, who once worked at Hong Kong Disneyland, beat out 50 other contestants Sunday night at the pageant in Louisiana.

First runner-up was Miss North Dakota Audra Mari.

Erin Brady, of South Glastonbury, Connecticut, the 2013 winner, handed over her crown to Sanchez after a three-hour telecast from the Baton Rouge Civic Center.

Other runner-ups were: home state beauty queen, Miss Louisiana Brittany Guidry; Miss Georgia Tiana Griggs, Miss Florida Brittany Oldehoff and Miss Iowa Carlyn Bradarich.

Bradarich got a second chance when the viewing audience gave her the most votes on Twitter.

Sanchez, the fourth Latina to win the title, will go on from the 63rd Miss USA to represent the U.S. at the Miss Universe competition later this year.

The other Latina Miss USAs are Laura Harring (1985), Lynnette Cole (2000), and Susie Castillo (2003).

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