Seventeen-year-old Anesu Samkange of Arundel High School is this year's Miss Harare Junior after shrugging off the challenge of 17 other contestants at a colourful ceremony at Pandhari Lodge last Friday night.

The teen automatically qualified for the Miss Global Zimbabwe 2013 pageant and walked away with hampers courtesy of Pandhari Lodge while the top three received free professional training courses from Afrique Modelling Agency.

The event that was running under the theme, "Wide Awake in Education", saw a bevy of 18 teenage beauties vying for the coveted crown.

Shamiso Mutasa from the Christian College of Southern Africa was capped the first princess, while Tadiwa Chidyausiku (17) and Dyonne Tafirenyika of Girls High School were the second princess and Miss Personality respectively.

Anesu was ecstatic about her achievement and said she owed it to God.

"I am overwhelmed by landing the title as it is my first time entering a pageant. I put my best effort but all in all I believe God was behind my success and at the end of the day I got rewarded," said Anesu.

However, the prestigious beauty pageant despite starting two and half hours late, attracted a good crowd and lived up to its billing. Harare Junior Council gives a platform to academics to show that they can do more than just books.

Miss Harare Junior is open to girls between the ages of 15 and 20, from different schools and colleges in the capital.