Miss Italy says her favourite Italian historical figure is Michael Jordan, days after she was ridiculed for saying she would love to live during the reign of dictator Mussolini

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Alice Sabatini, 18, was asked who was her favourite Italian historical figure
She replied: 'Michael Jordan, the greatest player in basketball history'
It is the Miss Italy winner's second gaffe following the beauty pageant

Published: 11:22 EST, 24 September 2015 | Updated: 13:20 EST, 24 September 2015

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A Miss Italy contestant has baffled crowds with her second gaffe of the week - by claiming U.S. basketballer Michael Jordan is her favourite Italian historical figure.

The faux pas comes just a day after she was ridiculed for telling beauty pageant judge she would like to experience the Second World War in 1942 - one of the most brutal and deadly years of the conflict.

Despite the embarrassing blunder, 18-year-old Alice Sabatini, from Lazio in Rome, went on to win the competition and was crowned Miss Italy.

Miss Italy contestant Alice Sabatini has been ridiculed after telling beauty pageant judges she wants to experience the Second World War

But when an Italian satirical TV show awarded her a mock prize for the gaffe, she subjected herself to more derision.

While being presented with the award, she was asked which Italian historical figure she most admired, The Daily Telegraph reported.

She replied: 'Michael Jordan, the greatest player in basketball history'.

Sabatini first made headlines earlier this week for her '1942' response to what was a judges' question during the competition.

A confused panellist even questioned her epoch of choice - the year during which Anne Frank began writing her diary and the Nazis began gassing tens of thousands of Jews at Auschwitz and other camps - by asking: '1942? During World War Two?'

Prompting incredulity, Miss Sabatini confirmed her choice saying she wanted to 'live' the war. She added she that she would not have had to fight since she is a woman.

'Well ... to see really what the Second World War was like, since the books talk about it for page after page,' she said.

Amazingly, she has now said her favourite Italian historical figure is U.S. basketballer Michael Jordan (pictured)

But Miss Sabatini's gaffe did not seem to damage her standing in the pageant, which she won based on both judge's scores and viewer call-in votes

When asked which historical period she would most like to live in, misguided Alice Sabatini, from Lazio in Rome, paused for a moment before replying '1942'

Miss Sabatini pictured on the left with the fellow finalist before being crowned the pageant winner

'I want to live it. In any case I am a woman so I wouldn't have had to do military service, so I would have been at home with the fear of ...' she said, trailing off with a light laugh.

Miss Sabatini's desire to relive one of Europe's most sombre years triggered a number of satirical comments online.

One Twitter user Photoshopped the brunette to appear alongside Hitler and Mussolini travelling in a car together.

Another showed the view of a sunbather looking out onto a beach where troops were wading into shore.

But Miss Sabatini's gaffe did not seem to damage her popularity, which she won based on both judge's scores and viewer call-in votes.

One Twitter user Photoshopped the brunette to appear alongside Hitler and Mussolini travelling in a car together

Another meme showed the view of a sunbather looking out onto a beach where troops were wading into shore

She later defended her comments, saying she was caught off guard as the first contestant to be asked the question.

Miss Sabatini said she didn't mean to offend but wanted to express admiration for her great grandmother who lived through the war and was still alive.

She said: 'I would have liked to live through what she had gone through in those years. For better and for worse.'

Pageant judge, Vladimir Luxuria, a transgender actress and politician, called for understanding, saying: 'Try to imagine the emotions of a young woman who had all the spotlight on her: she panicked.'