Student wins Hooters title and trip to Vegas

A PORT Elizabeth student will be winging her way to Las Vegas to represent South Africa at the international Miss Hooters competition after winning the contest’s South African leg at the weekend.

Varsity College student and body builder Jade Hammond, 18, took top honours at the Miss Hooters South Africa 2016 competition at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg on Saturday night.

Hammond beat 20 other South African hopefuls and will next compete against 100 Hooters employees from across the globe.

The 18-year-old former Victoria Park pupil said she had not expected to win and was initially not sure she wanted to enter.

But she had been encouraged to do so by representatives from Hooters head office who visited the Port Elizabeth branch to encourage entries.

Hammond, who started working at Hooters in February, said she was looking forward to her first overseas trip.

She had not been interested at working at Hooters until a friend encouraged her to work a shift and see how she enjoyed it.

“I love it. It’s the best job ever and I get to meet people from all over the world,” she said.

Hammond said many people had misconceptions about Hooters, but she believed that “people in Port Elizabeth have realised its just a restaurant”.

The Mount Pleasant resident, who recently took first place in the Hemingways Classic bodybuilding competition in East London, is studying towards a sport development and management diploma at Varsity College.

“It was the first time I took part in a pageant. I didn’t think I could speak in front of 800 people,” the teenager, who hopes to one day be a personal trainer, said.

Port Elizabeth branch general manager Donovan Noyle said the eatery was “chuffed for Jade”.

“We are proud of her and will continue to support her,” he said.

“It is great that the Port Elizabeth branch is being recognised.”

Hammond’s mother, CareyAnne, said she also felt proud.

“I told her to go for it. All I want for Jade is to be happy,” she said.

Carey-Anne said her daughter was a go-getter and would go into any competition to win.

The Miss Hooters International pageant has been held since 1993 and the first Miss Hooters SA competition took place in Durban in 2010.

The winner of the Miss Hooters International 2016 pageant will receive a main prize of $50 000 (R740 000) in cash.