thecrowncompetitors

In 1958, the Miss World Pageant was still in its early years. Its eighth pageant was a great success, attracting 22 contestants from Europe, the Americas, Asia and Africa. Europeans dominated the semi-finals with 9 out of 12 places secured by women from the host continent. 5 of the 6 finalists were from Europe as well, but it was a striking young woman from the Republic of South Africa who took home the coveted crown. Penelope Anne Coelen, or Penny to her friends and fans, was elected Miss World and was the first major international titleholder to come from Africa. The 18-year-old secretary from Durban enraptured the audience with her poise and beauty. She gained widespread international attention during her reign and received several lucrative modelling offers. After her reign as Miss World 1958, she tried her luck out in Hollywood with the help of James Garner, but failed her screen test but managed to launch her own clothing and endorsed beauty products as well as perfumes. Later she returned to South Africa, married wealthy sugar cane farmer Graeme Rey from the KwaZulu-Natal Province and she remains today a prominent socialite in South Africa, race-horse owner, and is a renowned pistol shot. She swore that she would never go through the terror of competing again, noting that it was "too nerve-wracking," yet that being a Miss World contestant and titleholder was "something I would not have liked to miss."

1st Runner-up France - Claudine Oger
2nd Runner-up Denmark - Vinnie Ingemann
3rd Runner-up Iceland - Hjordis Sigurvinsdóttir
4th Runner-up Holland - Lucienne Struve
5th Runner-up UK - Eileen Sheridan
6th Runner-up Brazil - Sonia Maria Campos

Semifinalists

 Germany - Dagmar Herner
 Italy - Elisabetta Velinsky
 Norway - Aase Qjelvik

Contestants

 Belgium - Michele Gouthals
 Brazil - Sonia Maria Campos
 Canada - Marilyn Anne Keddie
 Denmark - Vinnie Ingemann
 France - Claudine Oger
 Germany - Dagmar Herner
 Greece - Mary Panoutospoulou
 Holland - Lucienne Struve
 Iceland - Hjordis Sigurvinsdóttir
 Ireland - Susan Riddell
 Israel - Rachel Shafrir
 Italy - Elisabetta Velinsky
 Japan - Hisako Okuse
 Morocco - Jocelyne Lambin
 Norway - Aase Qjelvik
 South Africa - Penelope Anne Coelen
 Sweden - Gun Harriette Margareta Wagstrom
 Tunisia - Denise Orlando
 Turkey - Sunay Uslu
 United Kingdom - Eileen Elizabeth Sheridan
 United States - Nancy Ann Corcoran
 Venezuela - Ida Margarita Pier