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Japanese beauty crowned Ms Univ
Published on Tue, May 29, 2007 at 08:10, Updated on Wed, Jun 20, 2007 at 08:44 in Entertainment section
Tags: Miss Universe 2007, Mexico , Mexico City
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Mexico City: Japanese beauty Riyo Mori was crowned Ms Universe 2007 in a glittering ceremony at the National Stadium in Mexico City on Tuesday morning.
The 20-year-old dancer from Japan, who wants to open an international dance school someday, nervously grabbed the hands of first runner-up, Natalia Guimaraes of Brazil seconds before her name was announced.
She trembled in awe as the diamond-and pearl-studded crown was placed on her head by Miss Universe 2006 Zuleyka Rivera.
Miss USA Rachel Smith, who was one of the favourites as the pageant began ran out of luck when she slipped and fell to the floor during the evening gown competition. She was the contest's fourth runner-up.
Smith was vying to become the first American winner since Brook Lee in 1997.
AP reports Smith was a journalism graduate from Tennessee. She carried a guitar and wore a white, Elvis-style suit during the opening parade of nations.
Also finishing in the top five were second runner-up Ly Jonaitis of Venezuela and third runner-up Honey Lee of Korea.
Luck ran out for India's Puja Gupta who made it to the top 10, but was shown the door by the jury in the top 5 round.
The winner travels the world for a year on behalf of charities and pageant sponsors.
Several contestants sported costumes featuring colorful native dress, including feathers, sequins, fur, and huge headpieces.
The finalists' names were announced early in yesterday's show. As soon as the final 15 had been selected, they immediately strutted across the stage in animal-print bikinis for the swimsuit competition.
Then the top 10 were announced, including Smith and Gupta. The others were Micaela Reis of Angola; Natalia Guimaraes of Brazil; Riyo Mori of Japan; Honey Lee of Korea; Rosa Maria Ojeda of Mexico; Xiomara Blandino of Nicaragua; Flaviana Matata of Tanzania; Ly Jonaitis of Venezuela.
Titles galore
Hours before the pageant began, dozens of protesters held a mock ceremony in downtown Mexico City that featured ''Miss Marijuana,'' ''Miss Sexual Health'' and ''Miss Human Rights'' and other candidates with obscenities written across their sashes. The group yelled ''Neither ugly nor beautiful, should a woman be considered an object!''
Pageant organizers say the Miss Universe contest carefully selects women who are intelligent, well-mannered and cultured.
1999 Miss Teen USA Vanessa Minnillo and ''Extra'' weekend correspondent Mario Lopez hosted the live, two-hour telecast, broadcast on NBC and Telemundo, expected to be viewed by more than 600 million people in more than 180 countries.
The celebrity judges included actor James Kyson Lee, model Lindsay Clubine, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, rocker Dave Navarro, Olympic figure skating champion Michelle Kwan, celebrity hairstylist Ken Paves, fashion designer Marc Bouwer, ''Project Runway'' judge and Elle magazine fashion director Nina Garcia and former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres.
The pageant was last held in Mexico City in 1993, when Torres was crowned.
(With inputs from AP)
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its good that we r till top ten , but could be better if make till top three
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