News / Entertainment
Miss Universe 2007 Goes to Miss Japan Riyo Mori
It has been nearly 50 years since Miss Japan won the Miss Universe title but Monday night Riyo Mori ended the drought after beating first runner-up Miss Brazil Natalia Guimaraes for the crown.
Mori won over the Mexico City crowd when she opened her interview saying “Hola, Mexico!” The 20-year-old dancer said during her interview “I learned how to always be happy, be patient and to be positive, and this is what I want to teach to the next generation.”
Donald Trump, co-owner of the pageant remarked after Mori won “She is an amazing champion, an amazing woman and I hear that they go totally insane in Japan, so that's good.”
Miss Universe 2006 Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico placed the $250,000 tiara upon the head of Mori but it took a quick reaction from Riyo to catch the headpiece as it nearly fell to the floor.
It was a rough night for Miss USA Rachel Smith who slipped and fell during the evening gown competition and was then jeered by the Mexican audience when she began her interview.
