Mia Le Roux Opens Up About Struggling to Keep Up at Miss Universe, Miss SA Says Dancing Was Tough
- Mia le Roux opened up about the multiple challenges she faced while doing her best at Miss Universe 2024
- Miss South Africa was candid about how she felt while preparing for the Miss Universe competition in Mexico
- A TikTok video shows her doing her best during practice with other contestants at Miss Universe
Mia le Roux was the first deaf contestant in Miss Universe 2024. Miss South Africa described her ordeal at the international beauty pageant.
Source: Instagram
A few days before the Miss Universe finals, Mia le Roux withdrew from the competition. She cited health concerns caused by vertigo as the reason for stepping away.
Mia le Roux speaks on Miss Universe challenges
In a TikTok video by @queenlyview, Mia said that learning the dance routines at Miss Universe was difficult. She explained that even though she has a cochlear implant, she still has to practice dance moves differently. She said:
“When I tried to practice with all the girls, everyone was very loud and talking, and I couldn’t follow. It was a lot. I felt inadequate.”
Watch the video of Mia struggling to follow the dance steps below:
What you need to know about Miss Universe
- Many South Africans sympathised with Mia le Roux's withdrawal from Miss Universe, and SABC cancelled the pageant's broadcast
- Ntsiki Mazwai and some netizens shared thoughts following Mia le Roux's withdrawal from Miss Universe
- After Miss South Africa stepped away from the competition, people rallied behind other African countries to support them
- Miss Universe crowned Miss Denmark the winner, and Chidimma Adetshina was the first runner-up at the international pageant
SA questions Miss Universe's treatment of Mia le Roux
Some netizens mentioned that they suspected Miss Universe did not adequately accommodate Miss South Africa. X user @Karabomokgoko tweeted asking whether Mia was potentially excluded from Miss Universe due to her hearing impairment.
@NtombikayiseBa6 commented:
“She said that she was struggling to hear instructions and music, which resulted in her making mistakes during rehearsals. I believe there’s more to this thing than meets the eye.”
@KagisoTheFirst said:
“I came across this, and my heart tore for her.”
@CoolyNicey added:
“It seems when it comes to accommodating people with disabilities, we still have a long way to go all over the world, including in South Africa.”
@Patriotic_Tee wrote:
“There’s definitely more to the story than we are told because apparently even SABC has cancelled the Miss Universe broadcast. They must tell us the truth of what they’ve done to Mia so that we can drag them quick fast!”
@SIYA_VS speculated:
“I feel like she's not really sick but rather choosing her mental health over whatever she was facing over there.”
@KARABO_FORREST added:
“Quite hacked about her because she was actually going to win. I hope she doesn't carry the guilt that she failed us because she didn't. She was failed.”
What you need to know about Mia Le Roux
Born in Sasolburg, Free State, and raised in Oudtshoorn, Western Cape, Mia Le Roux is a model and the marketing manager for a start-up company. With a deep passion for beauty pageants, she has earned several titles, including Miss Struisie and Miss Garden Route, and was a top 5 finalist in Miss Deaf South Africa.
She is pursuing a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing at the University of South Africa. Notably, she is the first Miss SA contestant to be hearing impaired, having been diagnosed with profound hearing loss at the age of one. She relies on a cochlear implant to assist with her hearing.
She is a model and currently works as a marketing manager. On 10 August 2024, Le Roux was crowned Miss South Africa at the Sun Bet Arena at Times Square in Menlyn, Pretoria, after competing against nine other finalists: Layla Zoubair, Lebohang Khoza, Nompumelelo Maduna, Onalenna Constantin, Ontshiametse Tlhopane, Palesa Lombard, Taahira Katz, Kirsten Khan and Kebalepile Ramafoko.
Miss SA Mia le Roux discusses dating in the deaf community
Briefly News previously reported that the newly crowned Miss South Africa, Mia le Roux, hit the ground running. The model, who made history by becoming the first deaf Miss South Africa, shed more light on the common misconceptions about dating in the deaf community.
Mia le Roux shed some light on finding love in the deaf community. The newly crowned Miss South Africa clarified that she will focus on inclusivity during her reign.
Source: Briefly News
