EILAT – Miss USA Elle Smith, who reached the top 10 on Monday’s Miss Universe pageant in Eilat, called Israel “wonderful” and vowed to be back.
The Kentucky beauty shared with Breitbart that she was looking forward to touring the country on her own.
“I’m going to be back. After Miss Universe I’ll come back to Israel and be able to explore on my own and just relax and explore the country in its entirety because it’s just a wonderful place,” Smith said.
The 23-year-old added that she was lucky to room with Miss Israel, Noa Cochva. “She knows the country best so I’ve got the inside scoop on the best places to go.”
Smith, a broadcast news reporter for WHAS-TV in Louisville, took home the title of Miss USA 2021 only two weeks before Miss Universe.
“A little over a year ago, I sat in bed and watched Miss USA,” she wrote in a Nov. 14 Instagram post.
“I remember watching (Miss New York Andreia Gibau), (Miss Ohio Sthephanie Marie Miranda), (Miss Louisiana Mariah Clayton) and so many more incredible women grace the stage, and thinking, ‘I want to be on that stage. I want to be like them.’ Crazy to think this is my official Miss USA headshot and I made that dream reality.”
Smith, who graduated in 2020 from the University of Kentucky with a degree in broadcast journalism, did not make the final five.
The second runner-up in the contest was Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane, who was demonized by her own government for taking part in the contest and withdrew its support for her candidacy, citing Israel’s “atrocities” against Palestinians.
The first runner-up was Miss Paraguay Nadia Ferreira. Miss India, Bollywood actress Harnaaz Sandhu, secured the top spot.
Miss Venezuela Luiseth Materán shared with Breitbart the most profound part of her visit to Israel.
Miss USA, Elle Smith, advances to the top 10 of the 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant in Israel’s southern Red Sea coastal city of Eilat on December 13, 2021. (MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)
Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Sandhu (Miss India) poses for photos after winning the 70th Miss Universe beauty pageant in Israel’s southern Red Sea coastal city of Eilat on December 13, 2021. (MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)
“The most important day for me was visiting the [Yad Vashem] Holocaust museum. Its history totally impacted me,” Materán said.
According to Miss Universe organizers, Israel was chosen to host the pageant because of its handling of the coronavirus.
Israel took the most aggressive approach in the world with the emergence of the Omicron strain, immediately closing its borders two weeks before the Miss Universe contest.
While the Miss Universe contestants and their limited entourages were issued exemptions, the new rules meant tourists could not enter Israel for the event.
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