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11 Sep 2021 - Miss Northern Ireland 2021 Anna Leitch at her home in Lisburn. Liam McBurney/RAZORPIX
Christopher Leebody November 21 2021 09:51 AM
A primary school teacher who was crowned Miss World Northern Ireland has officially jetted off to represent the country at the Miss World 2021 competition.
Anna Leitch won the coveted crown in September and is now in New York before travelling to Puerto Rico for the December 16 worldwide pageant.
The Cookstown teacher is also studying for a master’s degree in leadership at Queen’s and will be hoping to be crowned eventual winner by the winner by reigning champion Toni-Ann Singh, from Jamaica.
The 27-year-old was inundated with support on social media as she snapped her departure from Dublin airport surrounded by cases while proudly holding a Northern Ireland flag.
“And just like that, I’ve boarded on my flight Airplane Next stop: NY. Then onto San Juan in Puerto Rico Flag of Puerto Rico,” Ms Leitch wrote.
“I am so honoured and grateful for this once in a life time opportunity I have been given to represent Northern Ireland. I cannot wait to share with you my #MissWorld2021 journey.”
The teacher was later snapped behind the controls of a jet plane having arrived in the United States.
Speaking to the Sunday Life in September, Ms Leitch said winning Miss Northern Ireland was “crazy”.
“When my name was called, I was over the moon but at the same time could not believe that a primary school teacher from Cookstown had won. It feels really good,” she said.
“I am hoping to continue teaching and hopefully balance the two commitments. I want to be able to teach my little P1 class as well as being able to fulfil my duties as Miss Northern Ireland.
“I’m not quite sure how I am going to do that at the moment. It’s going to be a very busy year, but I am planning on doing both, very much so.
“I’m a very driven person. I’ve already been doing a master’s at Queen’s full-time as well my teaching post, so if I can do that, I’m pretty sure I can juggle being Miss Northern Ireland as well.”
She added: “I’m really looking forward to meeting a lot of women from all around the world. I was in China for six months back in 2015 as part of an international exchange programme when I was studying at Stranmillis University College for my teaching degree.
“When I went there, I learned so much about the people, their culture, their traditions and their religion. I would say that experience helped mould me into the person I am today.”
The upcoming Miss World competition will be the 70th edition to be held, having been delayed due to the pandemic and will feature over 100 nations vying for the title.
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