Who says you can't have beauty and brawn?

By PENNY STRETTON

Superfit Sarah Davies is on a mission to break down the stereotype of a typical beauty queen - and she's using brute force to do it. The stunning 21 year-old has qualified for the Commonwealth Games as a weightlifter - while also competing in beauty pageants. Sarah, a full-time PE teacher, from Leeds says she is passionate about changing the image of women by taking part in two very contrasting roles. She said: 'I hope that because I'm so far from the stereotypical beauty queen, young people will realise that the way to get the body you want isn't through starving yourself.

'I also like that one breaks the stereotype of the other, as people think female weightlifters should be really butch looking and beauty queens should be tall, blonde and rake thin. 'It shows you don't have to be manly to enjoy the sport and you don't have to be skinny to be a beauty queen. They're both great fun and anyone can do it. 'I hope that my training as a weightlifter will help people realise that beauty pageants have come a long way since the 1970s because I think outside of the pageant community, a lot of people think they are still really outdated. 'Since I started, my arms hardly look any different because you use the strength in your legs and bum. 'I also hope that my success in pageants will encourage more girls to take up weightlifting. 'It's very important in pageants now to have a healthy body and active lifestyle and not to have a stick-thin, starved figure we used to see." Sarah, a former Miss Leeds, qualified for this summer's Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after totalling 190kg with a 83kg snatch and 107kg clean and jerk in the English Weightlifting Championships.

Her first foray onto the catwalk came in March 2012 when she won Miss Leeds as a student in the city. At the moment she spends 20 hours a week training for weightlifting while also preparing for the required charity events in the Miss England event. Sarah is currently working as a supply teacher at Temple Moor High School in Leeds, West York’s she added: 'It can be hectic trying to fit everything but I am lucky that the timing of the school day means I can fit everything in at the best time for me.

'Schools are usually supportive as they like to have an elite athlete as a teacher to be a role model to the pupils.' Sarah said her weightlifting helped her land the Miss Leeds title as she had something different to offer, and other girls in the competition come to her for advice on exercise. She said: 'Weightlifting has toned up my body and I'm in much better shape now I've been training. I think that's really helped with the beauty pageants I've been in, especially with the swim suit rounds. I absolutely love doing both and it's great that they work well together, even if it is an unusual mix.'

Promo Banners Designed For The First MISS AMBASSADOR PROGRAM

The Miss Florida USA Ambassador Program is a unique support group set around our pageant system that will culminate in a Spokesperson Search competition. The pageant will take place over 2014's Memorial Day Weekend, with a May 24th registration and family dinner, then the final competition to be held at the Susan B. Katz Theater in Pembroke Pines on Sunday, May 25th. 

The Ambassador Program is for those who are not eligible to compete for the title of Miss Florida USA. This means a world-class opportunity for those who are married, divorced, legal residents or have children. The AMBASSADOR PROGRAM SPOKESPERSON SEARCH® is open to all eligible women between the ages of 21-55.

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Yulia Alipova from Balakovo wins Miss Russia crown

© Photo: RIA Novosti

Yulia Alipova, a resident of the town of Balakovo (Saratov region), has won the Miss Russia-2014 beauty contest.

Fifty girls took part in the contests’ final show held at the Barvikha Luxury Village concert hall near Moscow.
Alipova, 23, is a cum laudae graduate of a lyceum specializing in mathematics and physics. She scored the maximum 100 points for her graduation test in the Russian language as well. The Miss Russia-2014 continued her studies at the Moscow Power Engineering University. She is a heat power engineer and a certified Russian-English interpreter. Last year, she took part in the development of a noise absorber for an electric power plant operated by Mosenergo.

Alipova received the Miss Russia gold crown studded with gems and pearls from the hands of Miss Russia-2013 Elmira Abdrazakova, Miss World-2013 Megan Yang and Miss Universe-2013 Gabriela Isler along with a $100,000 cash award, a luxury car and a change to represent Russia at the Miss World and Miss Universe contests.

Miss America 2013 Mallory Hagan to host Miss Alabama's Outstanding Teen pageant

By Mia Watkins | mwatkins@al.com

Former Miss America and Alabama native Mallory Hagan will serve as the host for the Miss Alabama’s Outstanding Teen Pageant over the weekend. The pageant will take place Saturday, March 1 and Sunday, March 2 at the B.B. Comer Memorial High School auditorium. Two groups of 46 contestants will compete in the talent, onstage question, physical fitness and evening wear portions of the pageant both days starting at 2 p.m. and again at 7 p.m.

Hagan, along with current Miss Alabama Outstanding Teen, Jessica Procter and Miss Alabama Chandler Champion will all perform during the pageant. Hagan, an Opelika native, competed in the competition in the mid-2000s, according to a press release.

The top fifteen semi-finalists will compete in the evening wear portion on Sunday at 2 p.m., while the top ten will compete in both talent and physical fitness. The top five will also be announced Sunday. Miss Alabama contestants will also be introduced during the competition.