Miss Universe 2001

Miss Universe 2001 was the 50th anniversary of the Miss Universe pageant, held at the Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez in Bayamón, Puerto Rico on May 11, 2001.

At the conclusion of the event, Lara Dutta of India crowned Denise Quiñones of Puerto Rico as Miss Universe 2001. This was Puerto Rico's fourth win in the history of the pageant.

Contestants from seventy-seven countries competed in this pageant. The competition was hosted by Elle Macpherson and Naomi Campbell, Todd Newton acted as backstage correspondent, while Miss Universe 1997 provided commentary for the whole event. Ricky Martin and La Ley performed in this edition.

Background

Location and date

After twenty-nine years, the Miss Universe pageant returend to San Juan to hold its 50th edition on May 11, 2001. According to Puerto Rico's tourism director, Jorge Pesquera, the final telecast of the competition will help promote the territory to potential tourists.

Selection of participants

Seventy-seven countries and territories competed in the pageant. Three candidates were appointed to their position to replace the original winner.

Replacements

Poland was to be represented by the first runner-up of Miss Polonia, Malgorzata Rozniecka. However, studies prevented her from attending, and the organization replaced her with Monika Gruda. The organization invited Miss Russia 2001, Oxana Fedorova, to attend the pageant, but was unable to compete due to her studies. She was replaced by first runner-up, Oxana Kalandyrets, who reached the top 10. Fedorova would go on to win the following year's Miss Universe pageant, only to be replaced with her runner-up four months later.

Miss Spain 2001, Lorena van Heerde Ayala, was unable to compete as she was underage. She was replaced by first runner-up, Eva Sisó. Ayala was due to compete in Miss Universe 2002, but after the threat of lawsuit by her family against the Miss España Organization for breach of contract, she cut all ties with the Miss España organization and lost the right to represent Spain at any international pageant.

Debuts, returns, and withdrawals

This edition marked the debut of Slovenia; and the returns of Antigua and Barbuda who last competed in 1979; and Curaçao, Nicaragua, the Northern Mariana Islands, Turkey, and the United States Virgin Islands who last competed in 1999. Australia, Belize, Denmark, Great Britain, Guam, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Namibia and Sint Maarten withdrew after their respective organizations failed to hold a national competition or appoint a delegate. Phan Thu Ngân of Vietnam got married and refused to compete in Miss Universe 2001.

Controversies during the pageant

France, Élodie Gossuin was confirmed to be a woman by medical examination, when it was rumoured that she was a transsexual.

Juliana Borges of Brazil admitted to the media that she had undergone plastic surgery nineteen times, stating "It's like studying for a math exam and you get good grades... you study and you work hard to have the perfect body". Despite a public outcry she was allowed to compete.

Results

Placements

Special awards

Pageant

Format

Ten semifinalists were chosen through the preliminary competition— composed of the swimsuit and evening gown competitions and closed-door interviews. The ten semifinalists competed in the evening gown and swimsuit competitions and were narrowed down to five afterward. The five finalists competed in the question and answer round and the final question round, after which Miss Universe 2001 and her runners-up were announced.

Selection committee

Final broadcast

* Mini Andén – Swedish model, actress, and television personality
* Marc Anthony – American singer
* Tyson Beckford – Jamaican-American model and actor
* Marc Bouwer – South African fashion designer
* Kel Gleason – A contestant from '' Survivor: The Australian Outback''
* Richard Johnson – American columnist for the New York Post
* Dayanara Torres – Miss Universe 1993 from Puerto Rico''''
* Veronica Webb – American model and actress

Contestants

Seventy-seven contestants competed for the title.

Notes

References

External links

Miss Universe official website

{{Miss Universe 2001 delegates

2001
2001 in Puerto Rico
2001 beauty pageants
Beauty pageants in Puerto Rico
Bayamón, Puerto Rico
May 2001 in North America