Miss Earth 2021 Destiny Wagner, right, passes the crown to Miss South Korea Mina Sue Choi after being crowned as Ms Earth 2022 during the 22nd Miss Earth pageant in Manila. AFP

Mina Sue Choi, a communications student representing South Korea, has beaten 85 contestants from all around the world to win the prestigious Miss Earth 2022 crown in Manila, Philippines.

The contest also places elemental titles on the rest of the finalists.

Miss Fire is won by Andrea Aguilera of Colombia, Miss Water goes to Nadeen Ayoub of Palestine and Miss Air goes to Sheridan Mortlock of Australia.

Nadeen Ayoub is reportedly the first person to represent Palestine in the Miss Earth contest.

The environment-focused pageant is one of the Big Four beauty contests, the others being Miss World, Miss Universe and Miss International.

It has been held mostly in the Philippines since its beginning in 2001, although Vienna and Bali have also hosted in the past.

South Sudan was represented the international beauty pageant by Melang Kuol, who retains title of the country’s biggest beauty contest.

Contestants of Miss Earth 2022 began arriving in Okada Manila, the casino resort and hotel complex, on November 12, with all 86 presented at an event on November 14.

However, preliminary events have been held virtually since October 24.

Last year’s winner Destiny Wagner from Belize, the first woman from her country to win a major international pageant, passed on her crown to Choi a the event held at Cove Manila.

Both Miss Earth 2020 and 2021 were held virtually, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Ayoub, a fitness coach, nutrition consultant and entrepreneur, was a favourite to win, advancing to the final four.

She was one of only two Arabs in the competition, along with Jihan Majid, 20, who represented Iraq.

The decisive final question for the final four was: “What is one thing you want to right in this world and how would you right it?”

“I would want to fight the ignorance and selfishness of people,” Ayoub said, drawing loud cheers. “Because I think that is the main problem that we are facing today, with all of the issues including environmental catastrophes, which are made by humans.

“It starts with education,” she added. “That’s how we can solve the selfishness and ignorance that we see today, and save planet Earth.”

Andrea Aguilera of Colombia was crowned Miss Earth Fire, while Sheridan Mortlock from Australia was named Miss Earth Air.

The first on-ground preliminary competition was the swimsuit round on November 16, which was jointly won by Esther Ajayi of Nigeria, Aguilera of Colombia, Liliya Levaya of Belarus and Choi of South Korea.

Choi became an early favourite, also winning the beachwear competition, as well as the long gown competition.

She also placed third in the resort wear competition, which was won by Oriana Pablos of Venezuela.

Choi shares the beachwear top prize with Aguilera of Colombia, Daniela Riquelme of Chile and Jessica Pedroso of Brazil; and the long gown competition winner’s title with Chile’s Riquelme, Sheyla Ravelo of Cuba and Susan Toledo of Ecuador.

Nigeria’s Ajayi shares the top prize in the talent competition with Ekaterina Velmakina of Russia, Cuba’s Ravelo and Alannah Larkin of Ireland.

At this year’s pageant, the theme was ME Loves Fauna “to emphasise the importance of caring for animal life”, organisers said.