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Linford Christie’s niece is the first black Miss England
Aline Nassif21 Jul 2009
Protesters targeting the event at the Metropole Hilton
Linford Christie's niece has been crowned the first black Miss England in the competition's history.
Click here to see more pictures of Miss England 2009
Rachel Christie, 20, a professional track and field athlete who is on course to compete at the London 2012 Olympics, claimed the prize at the pageant in Paddington last night.
The 20-year-old, of Kensington, who specialises in the heptathlon, was one of the bookies' favourites to win the competition. She won Miss London in May.
Ms Christie told the competition panel at the Metropole Hilton hotel last night: “My ambition in life is to compete and win gold in the 2012 Olympics. I would also love to do well in Miss England, I want to be successful in whatever I choose to do in life.”
Yesterday evening's event was targeted by demonstrators who gathered outside the entrance of the hotel denouncing the competition as sexist. The protesters held banners bearing slogans including “every woman is a queen” and “beauty is not skin deep”.
They echoed similar demonstrations held by some student groups last year who branded the Miss University London competition “misogynist”.
Ms Christie almost did not make the Miss England contest after a car crash in Acton on Friday left her with whiplash and bruised legs. She was taken to hospital, where she spent the next 24 hours recovering before rushing to be ready for the pageant.
Ms Christie, who was competing as Miss London City, beat 49 other finalists to take the title. She will go on to represent England in the next Miss World final, to be held in Johannesburg in December.
Also among the finalists last night was a soldier decorated for bravery in Iraq. Lance Corporal Kat Hodge, 22, from Tunbridge Wells, was given a commendation from her unit, the 1st Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment for her actions during a posting in 2005 in Basra.
Reader views (25)
Christ! is that really the best we could come up with!
- Jimbob, Kensington, 22/07/2009 16:05
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Students still protest against Wars, unfair taxes and governments - they also protest against women being reduced to objects! There is nothing dated about feminism/women's rights, those who think women have equal rights have their heads buried in the sand. Beauty pageants are prejudiced - are they legal under current EU legislation?
- Bekki, London UK, 22/07/2009 00:48
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Dep, London and your idea of beauty is a drag queen ROTFL
- Richard, Nottingham, 21/07/2009 21:55
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Beautiful girl. Congratulations.
Now we just need to lock up the ugly, envious miseries that were protesting. Perhaps they can think of something better to do with their lives.
- Dep, London, 21/07/2009 17:51
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Rachel is lovely,tall,slim,gracefull and the winning Christie smile.Rachel is a dedicated athlete who has real potential.Her reign as Miss England only lasts 12months,her reign as an athlete could last as long as her uncle's.It's an challenge for her,which she won!Now what is wrong with that?
- Tithonus, Athens Greece, 21/07/2009 17:50
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Not my choice, but I did not know they still had this farce.
- Michael, Kensington, UK, 21/07/2009 17:35
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She's pretty enough, even though I would not have picked her - like everyone else I have my own ideas on beauty. Commenters slating her because they disagree with others is a little silly - ok, a LOT silly! If the people who chose her based their decision on their ideas of beauty then they did their job, and congrats to her. If not, then the whole thing was a waste of time.
Whatever!
- Rogan, Irving, 21/07/2009 17:28
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Was a time when there was a point behind student protests, whether it be against a government, a tax, a war. But this is just plain daft. There's loads of ugly women in London. Its right there should be a competition to herald the good looking ones. My advice to Rachel is that she should ignore the hackling hags.
- Prototypical Englishman, Wormwood Scrubs, 21/07/2009 16:57
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Racist people can be so ignorant sometimes its frightening. I think this woman is very pretty she looks very much like Jada Pinkett. Just for the record please remember that the majority of white women have layers of make up, hair extensions, fake tan and fake nails. If they went au natrale they would be just their normal ugly selves.
- Lorraine, London, 21/07/2009 16:17
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I agree with Frank she looks like a drag queen not a beauty queen
- Richard, Nottingham, 21/07/2009 15:30
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Some of the coments are pitiful and reminds me of when Chris de Burgh's daughter, Rosanna Davison, won Miss England in 2003. Regardless of whether she's black or white some small minded people will have nothing better to do than air their petty views. Like Rosanna, Rachel is a naturally gorgeous intelligent woman. Yes, there are other gorgeous woman in the UK but it was Rachel who entered the competition and won. Why can't you be happy for her - she holds the title for only 12 months and not forever!
- Kathy Miller, London, 21/07/2009 15:08
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Wow - what a lot of nasty comments!
I find the whole idea of beauty pageants pretty dated, but I think Rachel Christie should be congratulated for her achievements in athletics and as Miss England.
It seems that an unlikely alliance of retrograde racists and radical feminists don't approve. They are even more out of date that beauty contests...
- Danny, London, 21/07/2009 14:06
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What's with all the negativity?? Give the girl a break, she won. OK, so she may not be everyone's cup of tea, but that doesn't mean she should be slagged off.
- Alan, East London, 21/07/2009 13:55
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Her face is too long and her shoulders are massive. I have seen more convincing transexuals.
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx, 21/07/2009 13:55
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How unfortunate that she just isnt that pretty. It is not a race/colour issue. She was not the best looking and her choice of clothes was misguided as she looked a bit 'tranny' which had she entered that comp. she would have won hands down. Its unfair to her as well as she will ow go up against girls in the international round and she will look very masculine
- Amazonmothe, hasting, 21/07/2009 13:50
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Carl,
If I was being honest I would say there's non-white/black girls in Peckham that are far more attractive than Miss Christie and I am white.
- Mark, South-East London, 21/07/2009 13:08
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Not a flattering photo. Is she a transexual shotputter?
- Danny, NW5, 21/07/2009 12:47
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Be honest people - the issue you have that she is Black.
- Carl, London, 21/07/2009 12:13
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... in what way Frank ?
She's a stunner in my view 
- Sanjay, Hounslow, UK, 21/07/2009 12:12
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@ Richard, Nottingham
Looks like a drag queen.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 21/07/2009 12:06
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"Why am I not surprised? How demoralising and depressing this society and country has become."
I am white but think your comment wreaks of racism. You should be ashamed of yourself - Frank. You need to apologise as you don't represent anybody but your nasty self
- Keith Price, Luton, England, 21/07/2009 11:50
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Hardly beautiful is she!!!!!!!!!!!!!
- Richard, Nottingham, 21/07/2009 11:18
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Amazing coincidence, an "OLYMPIANS" niece, Miss England, and the 2012 OLYMPIC GAMES in England, wow, it just gets better and better....All that money...All that telly!
SCRAP THE WHOLE FIASCO, DERAIL LORD COE`S GRAVY TRAIN, SORRY KWANGO`S SORRY BBC reporters, we all have to make sacrifices in the years ahead.
Note the TV ad describing the 1948 Olympics - "they used coal ash to coat the running tracks" - the way forward for cost cutting, perhaps?
Incidentally, these sports people are not "Olympians"-"OLYMPIANS" are Greek gods who reside on Mt Olympus - Now as an atheist I’m not too bothered, but God knows what Zeus must think of it all!
Rant over.
- Darius Midwinter, London UK, 21/07/2009 10:50
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Why am I not surprised? How demoralising and depressing this society and country has become.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 21/07/2009 10:34
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zoiey smale should have won
- Jane, oxford, 21/07/2009 09:19
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