Human Interest Miss Netherlands Contestant Becomes First Openly Trans Woman to Win the Pageant: ‘I Did It!’ "Wherever you are in the world, I want to be there for you and be the example that I missed as a little me," Rikkie Valerie Kollé said after winning the crown By Staff Author Published on July 11, 2023 06:10PM EDT Close Miss Netherlands 2023 Rikkie Kollé. Photo: DPPA/Sipa USA/AP A trans woman made history by winning the Miss Netherlands crown. Rikkie Valerie Kollé, 22, was named the winner of Miss Netherlands 2023 over the weekend, according to a statement from the pageant. Kollé was crowned by last year’s winner Ona Moody, CNN and NPR reported. Reigning Miss Universe R’Bonney Gabriel presented her with her sash. “I DID IT !!!!! 👑❤️,” Kollé wrote on Instagram after her victory alongside a collection of photos from the event, including the moment she was crowned. Utah Teen Stripped of Pageant Title Days After Win Over 'Clerical Error': 'It's Unfair' "Yes I'm trans and I want to share my story but I'm also Rikkie and that's what matters to me. I did this on my own strength and enjoyed every moment" she continued in Dutch, according to NPR. "And wherever you are in the world, I want to be there for you and be the example that I missed as a little me." The Miss Netherlands pageant also celebrated Kollé’s victory with a special Instagram post after her victory. Kollé is described on her finalist page as being of both Dutch and Indigenous Moluccan descent, according to NPR. She is from the city of Breda, and hopes to inspire both women and members of the LBGTQ community. Later this year, she will become the second openly trans woman to compete in the Miss Universe pageant. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In Oct. 2022, the Miss Universe pageant was acquired by Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip, a Thai businesswoman and transgender rights activist. In a January interview with Metro Weekly, Jakrajutatip, who is trans, said she doesn’t see pageants as beauty competitions, but rather “as a platform to raise up the voices of women and give them the stage to advocate for good.” Miss United States of America Beauty Pageant Can Exclude Transgender Contestants, Court Rules “I wanted to have a global women’s empowerment platform,” Jakrajutatip told the outlet. “That’s why I thought like, ‘Okay, I needed to have the platform on the global stage. What should be the most suitable for me as a trans woman to do so?’" The Miss Universe 2023 competition will be held later this year in El Salvador.