Dayana Mendoza from Venezuela was crowned as Miss Universe 2008 in Nha Trang, Vietnam on July 13.
Asians didn’t perform well in the 2008 contest with only one contestant making it into last 15. Riyo Mori from Japan was the 2007 winner, with another three Asians (India, Korea and Thailand) making it into the last 15 last year.
Riyo Mori from Japan is crowned as Miss Universe 2007 in Mexico City on May 28.
Ms. Mori is 20 years old and has been dancing since she was 4. She loves travelling the world and enjoys visiting museums and watching musicals.
The judging panel for the 2007 Miss Universe Pageant included NBC’s Heroes James Kyson Lee, NBC’s Deal or No Deal briefcase model Lindsay Clubine, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, rocker Dave Navarro, World and Olympic figure skating champion Michelle Kwan, fashion designer Marc Bouwer, Novela Star Mauricio Islas, Project Runway judge and Elle magazine fashion director Nina Garcia, and former Miss Universes Dayanara Torres (1993) and Christiane Martel (1953).
Throughout the two-hour event, contestants from 77 countries around the world competed in three categories: swimsuit; evening gown; and personality interview. Zuleyka Rivera, Miss Universe 2006, crowned her successor at the conclusion of the two-hour primetime telecast, before an estimated worldwide viewing audience of more than 1 billion in over 170 countries.
[photo by Fadil Barisha]
Riyo Mori is the second woman from Japan to hold the title; the first Miss Universe winner from Japan was Akiko Kojima, way back in 1959.
Miss Universe series
