A raven-haired Miss Japan, Riyo Mori, was crowned Miss Universe 2007 on Monday in a contest marked by protests, a banned dress and the withdrawal of one beauty queen on the ground the pageant degrades women.
Mori, 20, 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. Miss Universe 2007 top 5 winners are: Miss Venezuela Ly Jonaitis, Miss Korea Honey Lee, Miss Brazil Natalie Guimares, Miss US Rachel Smith, and Miss Japan Riyo Mori.
Riyo Mori profile
Age: 20
Height: 5'8
Hair color: Brown
Eye color: Brown
Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori was crowned by last year's winner, Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico
A lifelong ballet dancer from a village near Mount Fuji, Mori wore a striking black gown with colored lapels for the final. Winning surpassed the ambition of her grandmother, who told her as a child she wanted her to be Miss Japan one day.
"My mind went blank," she said of the winning moment.
Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori in long dress
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.
Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori waves her hand
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 Universe 2007 Riyo Mori in sexy low-cut dress
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.
Miss Japan 2007 Riyo Mori is Miss Universe 2007
The annual Miss Universe pageant -- which tries to present itself as something more meaningful than a swimwear parade -- was first held in Long Beach, California, in 1952. The event was taken over in 1996 by U.S. real estate mogul Donald Trump.
Riyo Mori was Miss Universe 2007 winner
This year, it attracted protesters wearing white dresses splashed with fake blood and sashes proclaiming "Miss Juarez", "Miss Atenco" and "Miss Michoacan" in reference to places in Mexico made infamous by killings or sexual abuse of women.
Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori in sexy bikini
In another quirk for 2007, the long, twisted dreadlocks of Miss Jamaica, the contest's first ever Rastafarian participant, and the close-shaved head of Miss Tanzania stood out from the lacquered manes of the other contestants.
Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori in black evening dress
Last year's Miss Universe event in Los Angeles also made its mark when winner Rivera caused gasps by slumping to the ground in a faint during a post-pageant news conference.
Miss Universe 2007 Riyo Mori in sexy black dress
As well as strutting in cocktail dresses and bikinis, the 77 contestants from nations ranging from Albania to Zambia traveled in Mexico in the lead-up to the event, visiting Mayan ruins and learning about endangered animals.
They also had to answer questions to put their personalities and public speaking ability to the test.
Riyo Mori is crowned Miss Universe Japan 2007
This was the fourth time the pageant was held in Mexico, which in 1991 won the crown with beauty queen Lupita Jones.
Mori -- 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.
Miss Japan 2007 Riyo Mori in bikini
Source: Reuters
Riyo Mori image gallery
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