Miss Universe winners (1977+) - photos, videos, infos

1977 - SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

JANELLE COMMISSIONG - TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO


1st runner-up Eva Maria Duringer - AUSTRIA
2nd runner-up Sandra Bell - SCOTLAND
3rd runner-up Aura Maria Mojica - COLOMBIA
4th runner-up Marie-Luise Gassen - GERMANY

SEMI-FINALISTS

Maritza Elizabet Jurado - ARGENTINA
Blanca Aurora Sardinas - DOMINICAN REP.
Ineke Berends - HOLLAND
Beatriz Obregon Lacayo - NICARAGUA
Luz Maria Polegre Hernandez - SPAIN
Kimberly Louise Tomes - USA
Cristal del Mar Montanez - VENEZUELA

And another day in history for Janelle Commissiong of Trinidad and Tobago had become the first black winner in the 26-year history of the pageant. The accomplishments and memories of Evelyn Miot (Miss Haiti 1962 and first black woman to make the semifinals); Anne-Marie Braafheid (Miss Curaçao and 1st runner-up in 1968); and Gerthie David (Miss Haiti and 1st runner-up in 1975) inspired Janelle. She hailed her victory as "a step in the right direction" toward changing attutudes towards blacks. "I hope it opens people's eyes - black and white." Janelle also remarked that she would like to reform Uganda's murderous dictator, Idi Amin, saying she would like to ask him "why he does the things that he does."

1978 - ACAPULCO, MEXICO

MARGARET GARDINER - SOUTH AFRICA


1st runner-up Judi Andersen - USA
2nd runner-up Guillermina Ruiz Domenech - SPAIN
3rd runner-up Shirly Saenz - COLOMBIA
4th runner-up Cecilia Catharina Rhodes - SWEDEN

SEMI-FINALISTS

Françoise Moens - BELGIUM
Marianne Muller Prieto - CHILE
Karen Ingrid Gustafsson - HOLLAND
Lorraine Bernadette Enriquez - IRELAND
Dorith Jellinek - ISRAEL
Alba Margarita Cervera Lavat - MEXICO
Olga Roxana Zumaran Burga - PERU

In 1978, for the first time in the history of any televised pageant, the judges' composite scores for each semifinalist were shown on the screen! Using the latest in computer technology the judges punched in their scores to a computer terminal. The score was then shown for each contestant in each category save for the final vote. It was early on in the 1978 pageant that Bob Barker informed us that this was the first time that the onstage interview of the 12 semifinalists would be scored and that we would see the score.

1979 - PERTH, AUSTRALIA

MARITZA SAYALERO - VENEZUELA


1st runner-up Gina Swainson - BERMUDA
2nd runner-up Carolyn Seaward - ENGLAND
3rd runner-up Marta da Costa - BRAZIL
4th runner-up Anette Ekstrom - SWEDEN

SEMI-FINALISTS

Adriana Virginia Alvarez - ARGENTINA
Sarita Diana Acosta - BELIZE
Andrea Hontschik - GERMANY
Lorraine Davidson - SCOTLAND
Veronika Wilson - SOUTH AFRICA
Mary Therese Friel - USA
Janet Beverly Hobson - WALES

Barely a few minutes into her reign as Miss Universe, Maritza Sayalero of Venezuela heard hysterical screams around her. The back of the stage designed to hold 75 people collapsed after a surge of 200 reporters and photographers onstage. Part of the stage collapsed, bringing along beauty queens and reporters down a 6-foot deep hole. Among those who fell were Miss Malta (Dain Borg Bartolo), Miss Turkey (Fusan Tahire Demirtan), Miss Philippines (Criselda Cecilio), second runner-up Miss England (Carolyn Seaward) and third runner-up Miss Brazil (Marta da Costa). On the lighter side, runner-up Gina Swainson of Bermuda went on to win the Miss World crown later that year.

1980 - SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

SHAWN WEATHERLY - USA


1st runner-up Linda Gallagher - SCOTLAND
2nd runner-up Delyse Nottle - NEW ZEALAND
3rd runner-up Ma.Rosario Silayan - PHILIPPINES
4th runner-up Eva Brigitta Anderson - SWEDEN

SEMI-FINALISTS

Teresa Lynn MacKay - CANADA
Maria Patricia Arbelaez Pelaez - COLOMBIA
Guobjorg Sigurdardottir - ICELAND
Kim Eun-jung - KOREA
Gloria Karamanites Davis - PANAMA
Agnes Tanon Correa - PUERTO RICO
Thilda Raina Fuller - TAHITI

With new innovations along the way, this year marked the birth of the super fast Parade of Nations as each delegate merely shouted out her name and her country. During her morning-after interview, Shawn Weatherly, the 5th American to win Miss Universe, said, “My job is not the exhibition of my body. Talking with people and making friends in all nations is my main duty.” Her ambitions then at the time of her reign were to become a sports commentator after her graduation from Clemson University with a communications degree. But fate went the other way and Shawn went on to become a popular television actress.

1981 - NEW YORK CITY - USA

IRENE SAEZ CONDE - VENEZUELA


1st runner-up Dominique Dufour - CANADA
2nd runner-up Eva Lena Lundgren - SWEDEN
3rd runner-up Adriana Alves de Oliveira - BRAZIL
4th runner-up Dominique van Eeckhoudt - BELGIUM

SEMI-FINALISTS

Lucia Isabel Vinueza Urgueyez - ECUADOR
Marion Kurz - GERMANY
Ingrid Johanna Maria Schouten - HOLLAND
Donella Elizabeth Thomsen - NEW ZEALAND
Mona Olsen - NORWAY
Tatiana Teraiamano - TAHITI
Kim Seelbrede - USA

This year, trhe favorites for the crown were Venezuela’s Irene Saez, the eventual winner, Miss USA, Kim Seelbreede and Miss Brazil, Adriana Oliveira. The audience cheered wildly for Miss Colombia (Eddy Cano), Dominican Republic (Lucia Pena) and Puerto Rico (Carmen Lotti), in addition to those named above. The host Bob Barker was criticized for his sarcasm during the top 12 interviews which was said to have been the cause for some delegates dropping out from top position in the preliminaries to no position in the finals Among the 12 semifinalists, USA’s Kim . Kim dropped from 2nd place in the preliminary standings, not making the top five. On the other hand, Canada’s Dominique Dufour had the surprise jump of the evening. Barely squeaking into the semifinals in 12th place, she ended up first runner-up, just behind Miss Venezuela, who ran away with the title leading in scores the entire competition.

1982 - LIMA, PERU

KAREN DIANNE BALDWIN - CANADA



1st runner-up Patty Chong Kerkos - GUAM
2nd runner-up Cinzia Fiordeponti - ITALY
3rd runner-up Tina Roussou - GREECE
4th runner-up Terri Utley - USA

SEMI-FINALISTS

Celice Pinto Marques da Silva - BRAZIL
Della Frances Dolan - ENGLAND
Sari Kaarina Aspholm - FINLAND
Kerstin Natalie Paeserack - GERMANY
Maria Francesca Zaza Reinoso - PERU
Odette Octavia Scrooby - SOUTH AFRICA
Silvia Beatriz Vila Abavian - URUGUAY

Preliminary competition and preparations for pageant night were extended to a full month unlike previous pageants which lasted for a week or two. Canada's Karen Baldwin won with not much surprise from her fellow delegates and pageant organizers as she was vibrant and eloquent. Controversy arose with the naming of Patty Kerkos as runner-up to Karen. Most vocal was Italy's Cinzia Fiordeponti, the 2nd runner-up “I deserved to be first runner-up!” Cinzia emphasized.

1983 - ST. LOUIS MISSOURI - USA

LORRAINE DOWNES - NEW ZEALAND


1st runner-up Julie Lynne Hayek - USA
2nd runner-up Roberta Brown - IRELAND
3rd runner-up Lolita Laure Morena - SWITZERLAND
4th runner-up Karen Lesley Moore- ENGLAND

SEMI-FINALISTS

Nina Marjaana Rekola - FINLAND
Loana Katharina Radecki - GERMANY
Federica Maria Moro - ITALY
Karen Elisabeth Dobloug - NORWAY
Kathie Lee Lee Beng - SINGAPORE
Ana Isabel Herrero Garcia - SPAIN
Paola Laura Ruggeri Ghigo - VENEZUELA

This is the year the "Little Sister" tradition began. Between 1983 and 1995, every Miss Universe delegate would be assigned a “Little Sister”, a girl from the host-city would serve as sort of a companion and good-luck charm. The girl would also wear a similar scaled-down sash of her "big Sister's" country.

1984 - MIAMI, USA

YVONNE RYDING - SWEDEN


1st runner-up Leticia Snyman - SOUTH AFRICA
2nd runner-up Carmen Ma. Montiel Avila - VENEZUELA
3rd runner-up Ma. Desiree Verdadero - PHILIPPINES
4th runner-up Susana Caldas - COLOMBIA

SEMI-FINALISTS

Brigitte Berx - GERMANY
Ilma Julieta Urrutia - GUATEMALA
Nancy Neede - HOLLAND
Savinee Prakaranang - THAILAND
Mai Therese Shanley - USA

This year, the original host for the pageant, Calgary, Canada, dropped out due to financial trouble. Miami came to the rescue with barely enough time to prepare. The largest number of delegates arrive in Miami, all 81 of them, a record left unbroken until 1995 produced one more delegate. Local favorites included Mises Venezuela, Colombia and Holland. Guatemala’s Julieta Urrutia impressed people more and more as the pageant progressed. She would later that year win the Miss International crown in Japan. However, Sweden’s Yvonne Ryding was the clear leader on most scorecards and, eventually, the judges'. This year, only 10 semi-finalists were chosen. This is the last year South Africa sends a delegate untill 1995.

1985 - MIAMI, USA

DEBORAH CARTHY-DEU - PUERTO RICO




1st runner-up Teresa Sanchez - SPAIN
2nd runner-up Kayonga Benita Mureka- ZAIRE
3rd runner-up Silvia Cristina Martinez - VENEZUELA
4th runner-up Andrea Beatriz Lopez- URUGUAY

SEMI-FINALISTS

Márcia Giagio Canavezes de Oliveira - BRAZIL
Karen Elizabeth Tilley - CANADA
Claudia van Sint Jan del Pedregal - CHILE
Olivia Marie Tracey - IRELAND
Laura Elena Martinez-Herring - USA

1985 was another year for controversy. South Africa was supposed to have sent a delegate but she did not arrive as anti-apartheid groups theatened to stage demonstrations if she did. This was the start of a long absence of South Africa in the pageant, only to resurface in 1995. On the lighter side, a sensation that year was Zaire's Benita Mureka who became the first black African finalist and runener-up. The eventual winner, Deborah Carthy-Deu was not an early favorite as were Mises Colombia, Holland, and Canada. Pageant night proved to b e her shining moment as she flew past the favorites to win the crown. She was the second Puerto Rican to win after 1970's Marisol Malaret.

1986 - PANAMA CITY - PANAMA

BARBARA PALACIOS TEYDE - VENEZUELA


1st runner-up Christiane Fichtner - USA
2nd runner-up Ma. Monica Urbina - COLOMBIA
3rd runner-up Brygida Bziukiewicz - POLAND
4th runner-up Tuula Polvi - FINLAND

SEMI-FINALISTS

Deise Nunes de Souza - BRAZIL
Mariana Villasante - CHILE
Elizabeth Robison Latalladi - PUERTO RICO
Eveline Nicole Glanzmann - SWITZERLAND
Aimee Likobe Dobala - ZAIRE

This would be the last Miss Universe to be held in July as later pageants would be staged in May. Favorites this year included the perennial shoo-ins USA, Venezuela and Colombia, Chile, Brazil, Finland, and Panama. Barbara won the title giving Venezuela it's third Miss Universe title after Maritza Sayalero in 1979 and Irene Saez Conde in 1981. Zaire makes it to the semi-finals for the second year in a row.

1987 - SINGAPORE

CECILIA BOLOCCO - CHILE


1st runner-up Roberta Capua - ITALY
2nd runner-up Michelle Royer - USA
3rd runner-up Ines Ma. Calero - VENEZUELA
4th runner up Laurie Tamara Simpson - PUERTO RICO

SEMI-FINALISTS

Jessica Patricia Newton Saez - PERU
Geraldine Villaruz Asis - PHILIPPINES
Marion Nicole Teo - SINGAPORE
Susanne Karin Thoerngren - SWEDEN
Carmelita Louise Ariza - TURKS & CAICOS

At the onset, Colombia's Patricia Ruiz was the favorite alongside other names as Misses India, Philippines, USA, and Italy. But as soon as the pageant competition progressed, Chile's Cecilia Bolocco would run away ahead of the pack, a feat which she began during the interview competition. 4th runner-up Puerto Rico's Laurie Simpson went on to win the Miss International pageant later that year.

1988 - TAIPEI, TAIWAN (REPUBLIC OF CHINA)

PORNTIP NAKHIRUNKANOK - THAILAND


1st runner-up Chang Yoon Jung - KOREA
2nd runner-up Amanda Beatriz Olivares - MEXICO
3rd runner-up Mizuho Sakaguchi - JAPAN
4th runner-up Pauline Yeung - HONG KONG

SEMI-FINALISTS

Diana Patricia Arevalo Guerra - COLOMBIA
Patricia Jimenez - DOMINICAN REPUBIC
Bente Charlotte Brunland - NORWAY
Courtney Gibbs - USA
Yajaira Cristina Vera Roldán - VENEZUELA

The pageant presentation was one of the most spectacular to date as the stage for pageant night was transformed to a menagerie of moving figures and colorful sceneries complete with flowers, dragons, and butterflies. Media coverage though was less than spectacular. Yet, there were early favorites in the persons of Misses Venezuela, Mexico, and England. , Asians ruled on pageant night as 4 Asian delegates zoomed into the top 5 leaving preliminary toppers USA and Dominican Republic behind. Only Mexico was able to fight through this Asian wall. Thailand's Porntip Nakhirunkanok ran away with the title but not without stiff competition from Korea's Chang Yoon Jung.

1989 - CANCUN - MEXICO

ANGELA VISSER - NETHERLANDS


1st runner-up Louise Drevenstam - SWEDEN
2nd runner-up Gretchen Polhemus - USA
3rd runner-up Joanna Gapinska - POLAND
4th runner-up Adriana Abascal Cisneros - MEXICO

SEMI-FINALISTS

Ma. Macarena Mina Garachena - CHILE
Aasa Maria Lovdahl - FINLAND
Andrea Stelzer - GERMANY
Sandra Foster - JAMAICA
Eva Lisa Larsdotter Ljung - VENEZUELA

1989 was the longest in terms of pageant preparation lasting for over a month. Early favorites this year were Misses Australia, Holland, Turkey, Spain, Argentina and hometown girl Mexico. Angela Visser literally ran away with the title, her semi-finals competition scores speaking for themselves, only slightly challenged by Sweden's Louise Drevenstam. Angela and runner-up Joanna Gapinska of Poland were non-finalists in Miss World the year before. Jamaica's Sandra Foster was 3rd runner-up at Miss World 1991 pageant. Today, Angela is a budding actress and television broadcaster, co-hosting several Miss Universe telecasts in the early 1990s.

1990 - LOS ANGELES, USA

MONA GRUDT - NORWAY


1st runner-up Carol Anne Marie Gist - USA
2nd runner-up Lizeth Yamile Mahecha Arévalo -COLOMBIA

FINALISTS

Rosario Rico Toro del Pilar - BOLIVIA
Urania Haltenhoff Nikiforos - CHILE
Ma.de los Angeles del Rosario Santiago - MEXICO

SEMI-FINALISTS

Jana Kronkova - CZECHOSLOVAKIA
Suzanne Sabloak - INDIA
Julide Ates - TURKEY
Andreina Katarina Goetz Blohm - VENEZUELA

The pageant was celebrating its 30th year anniversary and change came along with such celebrations. Television viewers got an eyeful as the parade of nations showed each delegate in swimsuit and evening gown. From the 10 semi-finalists, 6 finaists were chosen instead of 5. And again this number was trimmed down to three after all 6 finalists answered the dreaded judge's questions. The first batch of 3 finalists were Misses Norway, USA, and Colombia. This year also marked the last reading of the Miss Universe creed by Angela Visser.

1991 - LAS VEGAS, USA

LUPITA JONES - MEXICO



1st runner-up Paulien Huizinga - NETHERLANDS
2nd runner-up Yulia Lemigova - USSR

FINALISTS

Kimberley Mais - JAMAICA
Kelli McCarty - USA
Jackeline Rodriguez Strefezza - VENEZUELA

SEMI-FINALISTS

Jacqueline Nelleke Josien Krijger - CURACAO
Mareva Georges - FRANCE
Vivian Rosanna Benitez Brizuela - PARAGUAY
Natasha Pavlovic - YUGOSLAVIA

There was no doubt that early favorite Mexico's Lupita Jones would do well on pageant night. But not with stiff competition from the likes of statuesque Paulien Huizinga of the Netherlands hoping to repeat Angela Visser's performance only two years before, and USSR's charming Yulia Lemigova, the first delegate from the USSR. Lupita prevailed with the help of a large cheering section in the audience giving Mexico it's only Miss Universe crown to date.

1992 - BANGKOK, THAILAND

MICHELLE MCLEAN - NAMIBIA


1st runner-up Diana Paola Turbay- COLOMBIA
2nd runner-up Madhushri Sapre - INDIA

FINALISTS

Anke van Dermeersch - BELGIUM
Vivian Jansen - NETHERLANDS
Carolina Eva Izsak Kemenify - VENEZUELA

SEMI-FINALISTS

Georgina Denahy - AUSTRALIA
Lisa Maree de Montalk - NEW ZEALAND
Monica Brodd - SWEDEN
Shannon LaRhea Marketic - USA

Michelle McLean became the second African to win the Miss Universe title after Margaret Gardiner in 1978. The year was 1992. The site was exotic Bangkok, Thailand and another stunning visual feast to the televiewer and a appropriate background for the 78 delegates in competition. One of the heaviest competitions the Miss Universe pageant ever had was indeed this one with several veteran delegates from the previous year's Miss World pageant including Michelle, where she wound up as a finalist.

1993 - MEXICO CITY, MEXICO

DAYANARA TORRES - PUERTO RICO


1st runner-up Paula Andrea Betancourt - COLOMBIA
2nd runner-up Milka Yelisava Chulina - VENEZUELA

FINALISTS

Voni Delfos - AUSTRALIA
Namrata Shirodkar - INDIA
Kenya Summer Moore - USA

SEMI-FINALISTS

Leila Cristine Schuster - BRAZIL
Pavlina Barbukova - CZECH REPUBLIC
Tarja Smura - FINLAND
Eugenia del Pilar Santana Alba - SPAIN

Another year of surprises was this year as Puerto Rico's Dayanara Torres squeaks past preliminary front runners Milka Chulina of Venezuela, Kenya Moore of the USA, and Voni Delfos of Australia.

1994 - MANILA, PHILIPPINES

SUSHMITA SEN - INDIA



1st runner-up Carolina Gomez - COLOMBIA
2nd runner-up Minorka Marisela Mercado- VENEZUELA

FINALISTS

Charlene Bonnin Gonzalez - PHILIPPINES
Silvia Lakatosova - SLOVAK REPUBLIC
Frances Louise Parker - USA

SEMI-FINALISTS

Rea Toutounzi - GREECE
Arianna David - ITALY
Dominique Forsberg - SWEDEN
Patricia Fässler - SWITZERLAND

Another feast for the televiewers eye as Manila hosts te pageant once again after 25 years. Dark horse Sushmita Sen radiates pure charm and intelligence as she overturns favorites hometown girl Charlene Gonzales, press favorite Christine Roelandts of Belgium, USA's Lu Parker, Minorka Mercado of Venezuela and preliminary front runner Carolina Gomez of Colombia to win the title. Sushmita wins the first of two Miss Universe crowns in a decade that proves India as a powerhouse of beauty pageant history.

1995 - WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA

CHELSI SMITH - USA



1st runner-up Manpreet Brar- INDIA
2nd runner-up Lana Buchberger - CANADA



FINALISTS

Desirée Lowry Rodriguez - PUERTO RICO
Arlene Peterkin - TRINIDAD/TOBAGO
Denyse del Carmen Floreano Camargo- VENEZUELA

SEMI-FINALISTS

Tatiana Leonor Castro Abuchaibe - COLOMBIA
Cándida Lara Betances - DOMINICAN REP.
Eleanora Beatrice Carrillo Alamanni - EL SALVADOR
Augustine Masilela - SOUTH AFRICA

Newly indpendent Namibia hosts this year's pageant. Namibia's own Michelle McLean had won the title only two years before making it even more timely. This year also marks the year the pageant is first held in Africa and this pageant attracted the most number of delegates ever, 82. This is also the first time since 1984 that South Africa had sent a delegate in the person of Augustine Masilela, and she makes the semi-finals. India almost won back to back titles as Manpreet Brar barely misses the tiel and winds up runner-up to the USA's Chelsi Smith, a consistent favorite even in the preliminaries. Chelsi is the 6th American to win the title, further strengthening the USA's domination of the pageant.

1996 - LAS VEGAS, USA

ALICIA MACHADO - VENEZUELA


1st runner up Taryn Scheryl Mansell - ARUBA
2nd runner-up Iyabode Ololade Odusoga - FINLAND


FINALISTS

Vanessa Guzmán Niebla - MEXICO
Ilmira Shamsutdinova - RUSSIA
Ali Landry - USA

SEMI-FINALISTS

Carmen Milena Mayorga - EL SALVADOR
Sandhya Chib - INDIA
Natalí Patricia Sacco Angeles - PERU
Annika Duckmark - SWEDEN

Venezuela's Alicia Machado was the clear favorite for the crown as she sashayed and charmed her way to the audience's and judges' hearts on pageant night. Shortly after her crowning, Venezuela's 4th Miss Universe was asked what she would do now that she was Miss Universe…Without hesitation, she replied, "EAT, EAT, EAT!!" She would later allegedly gain more ad more weight reaching an all time high of 150 lbs. which led to speculations of stripping Alicia of her crown. Undaunted, Alicia succumbed to the media blitz and crowned her successor a year later 10 to 15 lbs heavier than on the night she herself captured the Universe.

1997 - MIAMI BEACH, USA

BROOK MAHEALANI LEE - USA


1st runner-up Marena Jpsefina Bencomo - VENEZUELA
2nd runner-up Margot Rita Bourgeois - TRINIDAD/TOBAGO

FINALISTS

Verna Angela Maria Vasquez - CURACAO
Denny Mendez - ITALY
Lia Victoria Borrero González - PANAMA

SEMI-FINALISTS

Kristiina Heinmets - ESTONIA
Nafisa Joseph - INDIA
Ana Rosa Brito Suárez - PUERTO RICO
Victoria Lagerstrom - SWEDEN

It was thought that this year a record number of pageant delegates would be reached but unfortunate drop outs blew away the record breaking feat. The pageant ended up with 74 delegates. At the end of the night, preliminary favorites Marena Bencomo of Venezuela, Verna Vasquez of Curacao and Panama's Lia Victoria Borrero nor controversial Miss Italy, Denny Mendez (the first Miss Italy of color) were shut out by the wit and intelligence of USA's Brook Mahealani Lee.

1998 - HONOLULU HAWAII, USA

WENDY FITZWILLIAM - TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO



1st runner-up Veruska Tatiana Ramirez - VENEZUELA
2nd runner-up Joyce Marie Giraud - PUERTO RICO



FINALISTS

Silvia Fernanda Ortiz Guerra - COLOMBIA
Shawnae Nicole Jebbia - USA

SEMI-FINALISTS

Michella Dauzacker Marchi - BRAZIL
Lymaraina D'Souza - INDIA
Andrea Roche - IRELAND
Anna Malova - RUSSIA
Kerishnie Naicker - SOUTH AFRICA



1998 saw the 3rd black woman to win the crown and the second from Trinidad/Tobago in the person of Wendy Fitzwilliam. An unwelcome change, though, is made as television audiences no longer enjoyed the traditional parade of natios with delegates in National Costume but a glitzy fashion-show like slide show of each delegate sans preliminary scores.

1999 - TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

MPULE KWELAGOBE - BOTSWANA



1st runner-up Miriam Quiambao - PHILIPPINES
2nd runner-up Diana Nogueria - SPAIN



FINALISTS

Sonia Raciti - SOUTH AFRICA
Lucbel Carolina Indriago Pinto - VENEZUELA

SEMI-FINALISTS

Akuba Cudjoe - GHANA
Gul Panag - INDIA
Nicole Haughton - JAMAICA
Silvia Salgado Cavazos - MEXICO
Brenda Liz Lopez Ramos - PUERTO RICO

History was again definitely made this year! Mpule ws the first black African to win the crown, the third Africa after Margaret Gardiner and Michelle McLean. Mpule and Wendy Fitzwilliam were the first set of "black-to-black" winners. USA didn't make the semifinals, not since Barbara Peterson failed to make the cut in 1975. This pageant had the most delegates to attend up to present. Mpule was also the first delegate from her country to ever join the Miss Universe pageant. What a stroke of luck. Mpule, however, was a non-finalist at the Miss World pageant 2 years earlier.

2000 - NICOSIA, CYPRUS

LARA DUTTA - INDIA



1st runner-up Claudia Cristina Moreno - VENEZUELA
2nd runner-up Helen Lindes - SPAIN



FINALISTS

Kim Yee - CANADA
Lynnette Cole - USA

SEMI-FINALISTS

Catalina Inés Acosta Albarracín - COLOMBIA
Evelyn Mikomagi - ESTONIA
Sonia Rolland - FRANCE
Heather Joy Hamilton - SOUTH AFRICA
Corrinne Crewe - ZIMBABWE

The search for the millenium Miss Universe began in Cyprus, the birthplace of Aphrodite as they say. A strong field of 79 delegates came to Cyprus that year including Miss Intercontinental titleholders Lara Dutta of India and Sabrina Scheppman of Germany, the Philippines' Nina Ricci Alagao, South Africa's Heather Hamilton, USA's Lynette Cole, and Colombia's Catalina Acosta. Again, earth shattering changes were evident. The parade of nations was reduced to a mere introduction of the delegates without even mentioning teir names. No more preiminary interviews this year onwards. Yet, Lara radiated intelligence and confidence to win the millenium crown.

2001 - BAYAMON, PUERTO RICO

DENISSE QUIÑONES - PUERTO RICO



1st runner-up Evelina Papantoniou - GREECE
2nd runner-up Kandace Krueger - USA
3rd runner-up Eva Ekvall - VENEZUELA
4th runner-up Celina Jaitley - INDIA



FINALISTS

Eva Siso Casals - SPAIN
Agbani Darego - NIGERIA
Ilanit Levi - ISRAEL
Oxana Kalandyrets - RUSSIA
Elodie Gossuin - FRANCE

The organization invited Miss Russia 2001, Oxana Fedorova to attend the pageant. But Fedorova said she couldn't compete because of her studies, and that she would compete in 2002. Her 2nd runner-up, Oxana Kalandyrets, competed instead; and became a Top 10 finalist. In 2002, Fedorova won the contest. Miss Spain 2001, Lorena van Heerde, could not compete in the pageant because she was underage (17 at the time). Her 1st runner-up, Eva Siso, replaced her. Lorena was supposed then to compete in Miss Universe 2002 as well, but after a scandal -involving an undercover journalist- threatened the integrity of the Miss Spain pageant, van Heerde crowned her successor and cut all ties with the organization.
To this day, there's still the controversy of having two Puerto Ricans in the panel of judges (Marc Anthony and Dayanara Torres who were married at the time) which supposedly favored Quiñones in her quest for the crown. Many claim that the title was robbed from Miss Greece (Evelina Papantoniou). In addition, Quiñones won three special awards: Clairol Award, Miss Photogenic, and Best in swimsuit. Such controversy influenced Puerto Rico's low-profile participation in 2002.
Miss Brazil (Juliana Borges) was heavily criticized after openly admitting to the media that she had about 17 plastic surgeries done.