Miss Columbia wins the swimsuit competition in the first preliminaries of the 2016 Miss S.C. pageant

The winners Tuesday night in the first preliminary round of competition in the 2016 Miss South Carolina and Miss South Carolina Teen pageants were Miss Greater Greer, Mary Grace Nasin; Miss Columbia, Sydney Ford; Miss Anderson County Teen, Brooklyn Brewester; and, Miss Lyman Teen, Morgan McCall.

Preliminary rounds are being held this week in Columbia, in advance of this weekend’s Miss South Carolina and Miss South Carolina Teen pageants at The Township.

Tuesday’s winners include:

Miss Greater Greer, Mary Grace Nasim, 20, from Greenville, won the Tuesday Talent preliminary in the Miss South Carolina competition. She performed an aria, Queen of the Night from The Magic Flute.

Miss Columbia, Sydney Ford, 21, from Gaffney, won the Tuesday Swimsuit preliminary in the Miss South Carolina competition.

Miss Anderson County Teen, Brooklyn Brewster, 16, from Williamston, won the Tuesday Talent preliminary in the Miss South Carolina Teen competition. She twirled a baton to Hey Pachuco! from The Mask.

Miss Lyman Teen, Morgan McCall, 17, from West Union, won the Tuesday Evening Gown/Onstage Question preliminary in the Miss South Carolina Teen competition.

The annual pageant that features contestants from around the Palmetto State. Tickets start at $32.50 for teen finals, $37.50 for miss finals. 1703 Taylor St. www.miss-sc.org or www.thetownship.org

This story was originally published June 21, 2016 at 11:57 PM with the headline "Miss Columbia wins the swimsuit competition in the first preliminaries of the 2016 Miss S.C. pageant."