And the winner is ... one very lucky lady: Unknown athlete lands megabucks role as the face of Martini after global model search







Previous Martini girls have include Charlize Theron, Thandie Newton and Monica Bellucci, but this year the glamorous drinks brand decided it needed somebody a bit more real to front the brand.

They launched a global modelling contest on Facebook in May to find a woman that embodied the drink's 'ethos' that 'luck is an attitude', and today Spanish athlete Bárbara González, 27, from Pamplona, was crowned the winner.

As well as starring in the new Martini advertising campaign lucky brunette González receives €150,000, 12 pairs of Christian Louboutin shoes and 12 designer outfits from my-wardrobe.com.

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Barbara Gonzalez, 27, from Pamplona, Spain has been announced as the winner of the MARTINI Royale Casting



More than 3,500 women applied to the Martini Royale Casting competition and were whittled down to 28 semi-finalists who competed in a series of 'challenging' tasks on the beaches of Ibiza in August which were filmed as part of an entertainment series shown on facebook.com/MARTINI .



The 28 semi-finalists then battled it out to gain the most votes and earn their place in the final stage of the search in Milan this week.

According to judges Christian Louboutin, my-wardrobe.com founder Sarah Curran, and MARTINI® Global Category Director, Arnaud Meysselle i t was her charismatic and stylish attitude that shone through.

' Bárbara has an amazing sense of humour and love of life. She was always laughing and having fun. She seemed to radiate a playful energy that was infectious within the group and with those around her,' said Sarah Curran, founder of my-wardrobe.com.

The finallists of the MARTINI Royale Casting competition pose in Pessione, Italy

The competition was a global search to find the woman who best personified the philosophy of the iconic brand: Luck is an Attitude

Christian Louboutin commented, 'I was looking for someone who is happy to show her true character and Bárbara surprised me with her sense of fun and smart attitude.'

Following the announcement, González said 'I’m very happy and this is a dream for me. I will work very hard to make everyone that has made this possible very proud of me.' and she is now determined to use this opportunity ti



The athlete (Gonzalez competed for Spain at the Sydney and Beijing Olympic Games as a rhythmic gymnast) is now determined to use this opportunity to become an actress.

Actresses Thandie Newton and Monica Belluci have both been Martini girls in the past



VIDEO: Watch Bárbara González crowned winner of the Martini Royale Casting competition