MISS VENEZUELA Dayana Mendoza has clinched the Miss Universe 2008 crown. The 22-year-old Mendoza beats Taliana Vargas (Colombia - First runner up), Marianne Cruz Gonzalez (Dominican Republic - Second runner up), Vera Krasova (Russia - Third runner up) and Elisa Najera (Mexico - Fourth runner up) to win the beauty pageant. A delighted Mendoza received the crown from Miss Universe 2007, Riyo Mori of Japan. Talking with media persons, Mendoza revealed that she was once kidnapped in her homeland and her past experience taught her to remain poised under pressure.
Miss India 2008, Simran Kaur Mundi could not make into last 15 semi-finalist list. For the eighth consecutive year, Indian beauty queens have returned empty handed from one of world’s largest glamorous extravaganza. Lara Dutta fetched the Miss Universe title for India in 2000. Since then Miss India Celina Jaitley (2001), Neha Dhupia (2002), Nikita Anand (2003), Tanushree Dutta (2004), Amrita Thapar (2005), Neha Kapur (2006), Puja Gupta (2007) and Simran Kaur (2008) failed to win the crown for India.
Organised in Nha Trang city of Vietnam, the beauty contest was participated by beauty queens of 80 countries. The venue was attended by thousands of people, while millions of people watched the world’s beautiful womens fight for the Miss Universe 2008 crown within the comforts of their home. For last couple of weeks in seaside city of Nha Trang, several rounds of competitions were organised among the contestants. First, the judges declared the 15 semi-finalist list who took part in three competition rounds namely swimsuit, evening gown, and interview during the broadcast. The 15 semifinalists donning yellow, green and orange bikinis, strutted across the stage during the swimsuit competition. Later top 10 contestants were announced and they walked across the stage in bikinis for the swimsuit competition.
The top ten finalists were Dayana Mendoza (Venezuela), Zana Krasniqi (Kosovo), Elisa Najera (Mexico), Laura Dundovic (Australia), Marianne Cruz Gonzalez (Dominican Republic), Claudia Ferraris (Italy), Taliana Vargas (Columbia), Vera Krasova (Russia), Crystle Stewart (America) and Claudia Moro (Spain). As the competition reduced to last 10, the excitement was very high among the contestants.
