Mr Gay South Africa, restaurant owner Charl Van den Berg from Cape Town, beat 30 international contestants to take out has the top Worldwide Mr Gay title. Coming in second was an excited 25 year old Mr Gay Australia Byron Adu, followed by Mr Gay Hong Kong, 33 year old Rick Dean Twombley.

Mr Gay Australia, Byron Adu

Take a look at the contestants from this year’s competition here.

The disruption to China’s very first Mr Gay Pageant in January, and attempts to prevent Chinese representatives participating in Worldwide Mr Gay didn’t stop 26 year old Xiaodai Muyi [pictured fourth] from China competing and taking out fourth place.

Muyi was chosen by a panel of his peers in a secret competition following the shut down of the Mr Gay China event by Chinese authorities. Worldwide Mr Gay organisers kept Xiaodai’s identity secret in the lead up to the international competition, and Worldwide Mr Gay producer Tore Aasheim said that approval of his visa was rushed through by the Norwegian government to ensure he would be able to participate in the gay pride event before Chinese authorities could interfere further.

In a recent interview with the Vancouver Sun, Muyi said that he wanted to compete despite the very real possibility of facing the wrath of the Chinese government for his participation in the gay event upon his return home to China. He told the publication that he hoped he would inspire others to do the same.

“I think that by participating in this competition I will encourage hundreds of thousands of Chinese gays to stand up and come out of the closet,” said Xiaodai Muyi, 26.

“It is very courageous on his part to have taken the risk to leave his country to take part in an event to which Chinese authorities are hostile,” Aasheim said to gay website Towleroad.

Fear of harassment was bad enough to prevent at least six contestants from nations in Africa, Asia and the Middle East from traveling to and participating in the competition. However over 30 contestants did make it to the successful final events.

According to the official statement on their website, the aim of the Mr Gay World competition was to find a global role model for young men coming to terms with their sexual orientation.

The first duty of the newly appointed Worldwide Mr. Gay will be to fly to the Canadian host city of the 2010 Winter Olympics, Vancouver. As well as taking part in the Olympic festivities, the 28 year old Van De Berg will be an ambassador for equality and diversity at Pride House – a safe space that brings visibility to queer people in sport.

Original Text from:

http://www.samesame.com.au/news/international/5086/Meet-Worldwide-Mr-Gay-2010.htm