Mexico City –staged at 7,349 feet above sea level– to get Miss Universe! The Latin American republic will be a four-time host in 2007. Mexico is one of the world’s top 8 tourist destinations, along with France, Spain, America, Italy, China, Britain, and Canada.
2. The event is a “single combat” between Asia and Latin America.
3. 23-year-old Riyo Mori writes history for Japan becoming the second Miss Universe for her country, accomplishing the win despite not being a favorite from the beginning of the event. Thus Japan improved on its second place finish at the Los Angeles MU 2006 to win the country’s second trophy. Under Ligron’s guidance, Mori, a Canadian-educated ballet dancer, repeats Akiko Kojima’s 1959 feat winning the global trophy in the United Mexican States in May 28, 2007, after beating Miss Brazil. But unlike previous winners like Barbara Palacios (1986) and Mpule Kwelagobe (1999), she is not a professional model. Known as “the modern-day female samurai”,she prides herself on having a great sense of independence. “My mother taught me that women can have it all. You don’t have to choose between having a family or career, you can do both, says Riyo. In fact, she represents the modern Japanese woman.
4. French-born Ines Ligron is the “Best Miss Universe National Director in 2007″ (for the second time in a row). She becomes the third foreign-born manager to win the MU title (Cuban-born Venezuelan expert Osmel Sousa is the first and followed by Magaly Febles). Ligron is the visionary who turned Japan from contenders to champions!
5. Miss USA makes the top five following a hard battle against Flaviana Matata from the United Republic of Tanzania,a country on coast of East Africa. Historically, Matata ,who has a passing resemblance to ex- super-model Iman of Somalia, is the country’s only semi-finalist. Though Miss Tanzania Universe 2007 returned without the title, she was backed by Donald Trump to become a successful model. Since then, she is one of Africa’s top international models.
6. Miss Philippines wins Miss Photogenic award for the third time in a row. The Asian republic showed a remarkable two-year run between 1996 and 1997. It also won that trophy twice in the early 1970s with Vida Valentina Fernandez Doria and Margarita Moran (also Miss Universe 1973).
7. Brazilian-born model Natalia Guimaraes is first runner-up, remembering the golden years of Brazil’s beauty queens (the country’s best performance since 1981). From 1955 to 1982, the South American nation was a major international power, gaining rankings and special awards, but their international position subsequently declined. Unlike her compatriot Fernanda Tavares, the young model Guimaraes dreams to become Miss Brazil Universe. Following a successful career as model, which reached her zenith when her was crowned as “Top Model of the World” in 2006, her dream was accomplished.