Maryanne Oketch emerged the winner in the epic season of Survivor Season 42, whose grand finale aired on Wednesday, on the American TV station, CBS.
The 24-year-old become the second black woman to win the Survivor after 20 years. She emerged the winner after seven of the eight jury members voted for her in a show that attracted millions of viewers globally.
The show features a group of contestants deliberately marooned in an isolated location, where they must provide food, water, fire, and shelter for themselves.
The winner of the show is usually awarded $1 million dollars (Sh116 million).
After being named the winner of the highly-contested competition, Oketch explained that she did not capitalise on her young age to convince the jury to vote in her favour.
She said her passion for the game was unrivalled.
“I am in such a good mindset right now. And not even when it comes to Survivor, just in general," she said.
The contestants compete in challenges for rewards and immunity from elimination,” she said in an interview with a US media station.
The contestants are progressively eliminated from the game as they are voted out by their fellow contestants until only one remains to be awarded the grand prize and named the "Sole Survivor".
Oketch who is born to a Kenyan mother but raised in Canada becomes the second Black woman to win a season of Survivor after Vecepia Towery in Season 4, over 20 years ago.
“Honestly, it’s so wild that it’s exactly almost 20 years since a Black woman won, and I’m the second one to do so. And I think the thing that makes it so powerful is because, as the casts get more diverse, you’re going to see more firsts,” she said.
The seminary student was born in Germany. She has lived in various cities, including Ontario, London, Toronto and Kingston.
