Kazakhstan native becomes Miss Congeniality at Miss Intercontinental 2013

Kazakhstan-born Yelena Schmidt, 25, has won the Miss Congeniality title at one of the most prestigious beauty pageants Miss Intercontinental 2013, Tengrinews reports. The 42nd edition of Miss Intercontinental pageant was held on December 14, 2013 in Maritim Hall, Maritim Hotel Madgeburg, Magdeburg, Germany. 59 nations and autonomous territories competed at the beauty contest. The model had won the Miss MGO Berlin 2013 title and later gained the title of Miss Germany 2013.Yelena was representing Germany at this beauty contest. Yelena Schmidt was born and grew up in Kostanay, in northern Kazakhstan. She won the regional contest Miss Kostanay 2003. The Yelena represented Kostanay at the nationwide contest Miss Kazakhstan and entered the Top 10 of the most beautiful girls of Kazakhstan. She also became the title holder of the Miss Model of Kazakhstan 2005. After graduating from high-school, Yelena entered Almaty-based Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, studied there for two years and then moved to Germany. Yelena graduated with distinction from the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (also known as the Fachhochschule Frankfurt am Main or Frankfurt Technical College) and is now studying Business Administration in one of Germany's universities. Yelena Schmidt Venezuela's Daniela Chalbaud, Miss Intercontinental 2012, crowned her successor Yekaterina Plekhova, 23, of Russia at the event. The crown of Miss Intercontinental decorated with 720 jewels is worth $267 thousand. It is the most expensive crown among all the international beauty contests. Aleyda Ortiz from Puerto Rico received the first runner-up title and the second runner-up title went to Colombian Margarita Peralta. Yelena Schmidt at the Miss Kostanay 2003 contest. Photo courtesy of Yelena Schmidt