Japanese became Miss Universe at second time · 2007-05-29 11:50
Riyo Mori, a 20-year-old dancer from Japan, was crowned on Monday night as Miss Universe 2007. “My mind went blank,” she said of the winning moment.
The 56th winner of the title was given her $250,000 diamond-and-pearl crown by last year’s winner, Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico, watched by a live audience of 10,000 and some 600 million television viewers worldwide.
The beauty queen wants to open an international dance school onу day.
Riyo Mori nervously grabbed the hands of first runner-up Natalia Guimaraes of Brazil just before the winner was announced. She trembled in awe as the diamond-and-pearl-studded crown was placed on her head, The Hindu reports.
Also finishing in the top five were second runner-up Ly Jonaitis of Venezuela and third runner-up Honey Lee of Korea.
During the evening gown parade, Miss USA, Rachel Smith, slipped on the runway and landed on her bottom, although the slip didn’t stop her earning fifth place.
According to Reuters, this year’s contest was marked by controversy, with a handful of Mexicans booing Smith in the run-up to the finals because of what they saw as U.S. unfriendliness toward illegal immigrants.
Miss Sweden, Isabel Lestapier Winqvist, unexpectedly pulled out of the event because of complaints in her country that it degrades women. Sweden has won the Miss Universe crown three times in the past.
In another hitch, Miss Mexico was made to change her outfit for the regional dress contest after her original dress, decorated with brutal images of rebels in a 1920s religious uprising being hanged or shot, drew accusations of poor taste.
Mori, who is the second Japanese woman to win the Miss Universe title – will spend her year-long reign traveling the world to speak out on humanitarian issues like poverty and disease.
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