Ivian Sarcos

Early life

Ivian was a diplomacy student at the Central University of Venezuela who is 1.80 m (5'11") tall. Orphaned at the age of eight, Sarcos was raised by nuns in a convent in Cojedes. She had intended to become a nun, but she found a new passion in the world of fashion and started her career as a model. Sarcos comes from a family of 12 brothers and sisters.

Miss Venezuela 2010

Sarcos competed as Miss Amazonas in her country's national beauty pageant, Miss Venezuela 2010, on October 28, 2010, and was crowned Miss World Venezuela. She also won the Most Beautiful Face award.

Miss World 2011

On November 6, 2011, Sarcos won the 2011 Miss World pageant held in the Earls Court Exhibition Centre in London. She was placed third runner-up during the Miss World Beach Beauty event held on October 29 and fifth-runner-up in Miss World Top Model, also held on October 29, becoming the eventual winner of Miss World 2011 on November 6. She became the sixth woman from Venezuela to capture the title. In a press conference after her victory, she said, "“This has taught me that life, although it may be bad, doesn’t have to end badly. Although I no longer have my parents, it has taught me to be stronger..... I want to carry on doing the wonderful work that ‘Beauty with a Purpose’ and the Miss World organization does and to help people in need.... I want to help people like me." The President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, congratulated Sarcos, by telephone and on Twitter. Sarcos was interviewed on Univision for the TV programs Despierta America and Don Francisco Presenta in Miami (USA) and featured in a 7 hour special on Venevision for her return to Venezuela, reaching a 73% share of the viewing audience. A press conference for her victory was held in Caracas with several journalists. She appeared in Hello magazine for the UK and in Look Caras and OK! magazine in Venezuela. On January 4, 2012, President Hugo Chávez received Sarcos with flowers and kiss her hand after their meeting at the Miraflores presidential palace in Caracas and expressed his government's support. Sarcos has a foundation, called Belleza con Proposito (beauty with a purpose), for people in need. On November 16, 2011, she attended the Duke of Edinburgh's birthday lunch. On January 16, 2012, Sarcos was at the Ordos City Ice Festival.

In January 2012, Sarcos won the "Miss Grand Slam 2011" title bestowed by Global Beauties.com. On March 2, she travelled to Moscow, where she crowned Miss World Russia for the Miss World 2012 pageant. She also travelled to Mumbai, where she crowned Femina Miss India World 2012 on March 30. In March, she attended the second "International Ordos Nadam Fair" in Ordos. Sarcos was one of the special guests attending the MIPTV in Cannes, France, held on April 1 and 4. Sarcos was expected to travel to the Fiji Islands, where she was to crown Miss World Fiji 2012 at an event held in Suva; however she did not reach the destination due to travel scheduling. On April 28, she travelled to Jakarta, where she crowned Miss World Indonesia for the Miss World 2012 pageant. Sarcos was in Ireland for Variety Children's Charity sharing with Brian Ormond. She travelled to Ghana and Kenya from 19 to 28 May for humanitarian works. In May, she travelled to Nairobi, where she crowned Miss World Kenya for the Miss World 2012 pageant. On June 3, 2012, The Miss World Organization chartered a special boat and joined one of the largest flotillas ever assembled on the River Thames as part of the Queen's official river procession. On board the boat were the Miss World chairman Julia Morley and Sarcos.

As Miss World 2011 she traveled to China, France, Ghana, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Kenya, Russia, United Kingdom, United States and Venezuela.

On August 18, 2012, Sarcos crowned her successor Yu Wenxia of China at the Miss World 2012 Final in Ordos City, Inner Mongolia, China.