The New Miss Democratic Republic of Congo 2008

A professional model, a nurse, Tina Mutombo (photo) representing her tribe, Balubas, was crowned as the new Miss Democratic Republic of Congo 2008. Tina is 23 years-old and has been living in Ireland for 11 years and is a well-known face on the Dublin modelling scene. She travelled last month to her native Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for the Miss DRC contest.

She was crowned at Kinshasa and preparing to travel and represent her country at the Miss World 2008 beauty pageant which will take place in Kiev this October.

"I love my country so much and I've always wanted to give something back," tina said. "I was overwhelmed. I wasn't living in a dream any more, I was raptured into reality," she added.

Tina moved to Ireland with her family in 1997 and attended the Sacred Heart Secondary School in Drogheda. Not surprisingly, she has developed a little Irish 'twang' which was seized upon by her fellow contestants.

"They were calling me 'Irish girl'. They were all slagging me and they kept telling me I was a foreigner, how I didn't speak like them," she joked.

Despite the attention of the upcoming Miss World Beauty Contest is sure to attract, Tina isn't nervous. "I conquered fear a long time ago. I know who I am".

"I'm really excited and looking forward to meeting Miss Ireland, because I can talk to her about Dublin," she said.