HOUSTON — A woman made history over the weekend as the oldest to compete for the title of Miss Texas.

Marissa Teijo, 71, competed in the pageant in Houston, according to NBC News. The winning contestant will be representing the state of Texas in the Miss USA competition.

Teijo faced around 100 other competitors in the contest, KVIA reported.

“I feel that all women now have a new stage of opportunity, strength and beauty,” Teijo said, according to the El Paso Times. With nearly 100 women competing against her, she said she’s never felt more motivated to chase her dream.

“I represent women of all shapes, ages, and races. As I prepare my team to compete at Miss Texas, I’m thrilled to support these women who inspire me as a leader every day,” she said, according to the newspaper.

The Miss Universe organization has changed its rules recently to become more inclusive, according to NBC News. That included getting rid of age limits and starting to allow women who are married, divorced, and pregnant to participate.

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