Leila Lopes of Angola beats 88 other contestants to win the Miss Universe contest in San Paulo, Brazil
Leila Lopes from Angola has been crowned Miss Universe after smoothly handling an interview question about what physical trait she would change if she could.
She said it was her inner beauty and principles that counted most.
The 25-year-old Lopes is Angola’s first winner. She beat 88 other competitors to win the title during the 60th anniversary of the world’s biggest beauty pageant. She replaces last year’s winner, Ximena Navarrete of Mexico.
Miss Australia Scherri-Lee Biggs made the top ten but was eliminated in the final round.
Lopes wisely declined to nominate any physical attributes she would change.
“Thank God I’m very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn’t change a thing,” Lopes said when asked.
“I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I intend to follow these for the rest of my life.”
The first runner-up was 23-year-old Olesia Stefanko of Ukraine and the second runner-up was Priscila Machado of Brazil. The third was Miss Philippines and the fourth Miss China.
Contestants from 89 nations on six continents spent the past three weeks in Sao Paulo, trying to learn samba dance steps, visiting impoverished children and kicking a football around for cameras as the globe’s biggest beauty contest is held in Brazil for the first time.
Paula Shugart, president of the Miss Universe organisation, was hyped for the night.
“It’s our 60th anniversary, it’s a very big show,” she said.
“We’re anticipating close to a billion viewers from around the world.”
Shugart said it was fitting the globe’s biggest beauty pageant be held in Brazil at this time, as the nation prepares to host some major events in the coming years.
“I don’t think there is any doubt in the rest of the world’s mind that Brazil is the place, between hosting the Olympics and hosting the World Cup,” she said.
“I love the fact we’re going to kick it off. I always say we’re the ‘World Cup’ of beauty.”
The contestants, who must never have been married or had children and who must be at least 18 years of age and under 27 years of age by February 1 of the competition year.
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