MISS Michigan Rima Fakih won the Miss USA 2010 beauty pageant in Las Vegas today becoming the first Arab-American to be given the crown.

TV Latest said Fakih, 24, a Lebanese-American born in New York, was among 51 beauties vying for the highly contested honour.

She beat first runner-up Miss Oklahoma, followed by Miss Virginia, Miss Colorado and Miss Maine.



The competition aired live to US viewers on NBC.

The network owns the pageant with celebrity entrepreneur Donald Trump.

Fakih will represent the US at the 2010 Miss Universe pageant later this year.