Miss England 2009 Katrina Hodge has convinced pageant officials to replace the ever-popular swimsuit competition with a sports challenge, which will be overseen by Lance Corporal Hodge.
Hodge, who represented England at the 2009 Miss World Pageant in Johannesburg in December, is known as “Combat Barbie” by her Army Colleagues, and is no stranger to physical challenges. She was awarded a commendation for disarming and detaining a suspected rebel fighter with her bare hands while serving in Iraq.
The 22-year-old soldier and lingerie model joined the Army after leaving school at age 16 and was one of only ten women in the Royal Anglians to be posted to Iraq for seven months at the age of 18.
As a spokesmodel for lingerie company La Senza, the gorgeous brunette is no stranger to posing scantily clad but said she did not think the swimsuit round was fair to contestants.
“I think it’s nerve-racking enough for girls to get up on a stage and speak, let alone appear in a swimsuit,” she said.
“It’s good the girls are being given a sports challenge in this year’s competition.”
Miss England national organizer Angie Beasley said the change showed that Miss England was constantly evolving as a competition.
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