MAJOR GAINS

DO NOT MISTAKE LIESL LAURIE’S PETITE FRAME FOR FRAGILITY. SHE WAS DUBBED THE “PEOPLE’S PRINCESS” AFTER WINNING MISS SOUTH AFRICA IN 2015, WITH HER ELDORADO PARK ORIGINS SPAWNING A CINDERELLA-TYPE STORY. RAISED BY STRONG WOMEN, THIS QUEEN DIDN’T NEED ANY PRINCE CHARMING TO SAVE HER. SHE CAN LOOK AFTER HER OWN DAMN SELF

- Melanie Reeder-Powell

LIESL LAURIE IS A LOVELY PARADOX.

She may be slight in stature, but she’s a powerhouse of unshakable convictions; her doll-like features beefed up by brains and an undeniable edge. We’ve been standing in the beating sun for five straight hours for her cover shoot, yet she doesn’t skip a beat as she earnestly shares her story over sushi and sparkling water. She looks younger than her 29 years and her appearance is frequently a bone of contention for her, as people easily underestimate her capabilities. These days, her Insta feed showcases her fitness journey, which has surprised even her, especially since it all started with a bad break-up. (Doesn’t it always!) “I think it ’s important to acknowledge that I went through a tough time,” she admits. “My psychologist said I needed somewhere to put all of what I was feeling. She suggested painting and I was like, ‘no!’ Then she suggested training and fitness and I was also like, ‘no!’ Then one day, after three-and-a-half years of no training, I went back and fell in love. I thought, why did I ever stop?” Her 2015 Miss South Africa title was another turning point, but most won’t realise that it was actually her second attempt at the crown – a true testament to her tenacity.

Miss Independent

Growing up in Eldorado Park, Liesl was resolute that one day she wanted to make an impact on the world. “I would say ‘don’t take funny photos of me’ or ‘don’t take recordings of me doing something silly because I’m going to be really famous one day’,” she laughs. “People used to look at me as if I was crazy, but I had some friends who said, ‘don’t worry, we know, we see it’.”