Sabrina Mendes de Assunção is the new Miss Hong Kong.

Sabrina Mendes de Assunção has been crowned Miss Hong Kong at the end of the gala, held on September 12, 2021 at the Hong Kong television station, TVB. The stage of this year’s finals was built with a cost of over HK$1 million. The theme was based on ancient civilised architecture and AR technology was used to present the beauty of the phoenix.

Even though Sabrina Mendes did not do well during the Q&A session, she still managed to cling the title. Kristy Shaw also won the Miss Friendship title. Penny Yeung won the  Miss Photogenic title. Sabina rose to become a strong contestant after her confident exchanges with judges. She used fruits to describe several judges – Awayuki strawberry for Loletta Chu Ling-ling.

Sabrina is of mixed Chinese and Portuguese heritage. She has been trained since young as a dancer and she aspires to be a doctor. She excels in ballet, Chinese dancing, Hip-Hop dancing, Latin dancing, ballroom dancing etc. Her mother is also a beauty pageant winner, she was the 1st runner-up of Miss Macao in 1990 and won second place in the Miss Chinese International Pageant in 1990. Her parents divorced when she was young and she was raised by her mother. Sabina has a younger twin sister.

She graduated with a double degree in biochemistry and human biology at University of Toronto in Canada. She hopes to become a doctor.

“I did not bring out the best of me during the question and answer session, but I do think I have clawed some marks back in the dance session, which is one of my strengths,” she said, adding that she did not pull off an upset having the support of audiences. Sabina also said she had never thought of winning a beauty contest like her mum, who won second place in the Miss Chinese International Pageant in 1990.

She told reporters that she would like to start a career in the television industry and become a local actress. Meanwhile, Carina Leung, who came in second in this year’s contest, said Sabina’s champion status is well deserved. “She is all-rounded and has wonderful eloquence…I never thought of what I will get from this contest, I just enjoy giving 100 percent of myself during the contest,” said Leung. When asked if she looked disappointed when hearing that Sabina won Miss Hong Kong, Leung said she was just a bit tired at that moment.

As for second runner up Kristy Shaw, who also won Miss Friendship in the contest, said she never gave up and kept pushing. “I know there was a saying that the one who gets the title of Miss Friendship will never be in the top three…I just stay sharp, focus and never lose hope,” said Shaw.

The 2021 Miss Hong Kong’s court includes

1st runner-up – Carina Leung

2nd runner-up – Kristy Shaw