Miss Universe 2002

Miss Universe 2002 was the 51st Miss Universe pageant, held at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico on 29 May 2002.

Miss Universe 2002
Justine Pasek of Panama, winner
DateMay 29, 2002
Presenters
EntertainmentMarc Anthony
VenueColiseo Roberto Clemente, San Juan, Puerto Rico
BroadcasterCBS
Entrants75
Placements10
Debuts
  • Albania
  • China
Withdrawals
  • Argentina
  • Botswana
  • Lebanon
  • Malta
  • New Zealand
  • Paraguay
  • Taiwan
  • Turks and Caicos
  • Zimbabwe
Returns
  • Australia
  • Guyana
  • Kenya
  • Mauritius
  • Namibia
Winner Panama
Congeniality United States Virgin Islands
Best National Costume Colombia
Photogenic Puerto Rico

At the end of the event, Denise Quiñones of Puerto Rico crowned Oxana Fedorova of Russia as Miss Universe 2002.[1] This was the first time that Russia had been crowned Miss Universe.

Fedorova was dethroned four months later as she could not travel to fulfill her duties,[2] and first runner-up Justine Pasek of Panama took over the Miss Universe title.[3] To date, the 2002 pageant is the only time that the 1st runner-up assumed the title when the reigning Miss Universe could not fulfill her duties.

Contestants from seventy-fove countries competed in this pageant. The competition was hosted by Phil Simms and Daisy Fuentes, while Miss Universe 1997 Brook Lee acted as backstage correspondent. Marc Anthony performed in this year's pageant. This was also the last Miss Universe edition to be aired on CBS.

Background
Coliseo Roberto Clemente, Miss Universe 2002 venue

Location and date

In December 2001, Jorge Santini, then-mayor of San Juan and Miss Universe 2001 Denise Quiñones attended at a news conference in San Juan where it was announced that the 2002 pageant will be held in Puerto Rico for the second consecutive year. The city of San Juan was chosen as the venue of the pageant from eight other cities.[4]

Selection of participants

Contestants from seventy-five countries and territories were selected to compete in the pageant. One candidate was appointed to her position to replace the original dethroned winner.

Replacements

Lorena Ayala, the winner of Miss España 2001 pageant, cut all ties with the Miss España organization and lost the right to representing Spain in any international pageant after a threat of lawsuit against the Miss España Organization by her family due to breaching her contract with the organization. Ayala was replaced with the new Miss España 2002, Vania Millán by the request of the Miss Universe Organization.[5][6]

Debuts and withdrawals

The 2002 edition saw the debuts of Albania and China, and the returns of Kenya who last competed in 1995, Guyana who last competed in 1999, and Australia. Mauritius. and Namibia who last competed in 2000. Karen Russell of Belize and Yana Booth of Great Britain withdrew due to a change of the local franchise holder.[7][8] Christina Sawaya, Miss Lebanon 2001, withdrew because she supported the Second Intifada and stated that she couldn't compete with Miss Israel 2002, Yamit Har-Noy at the pageant.[9] Euwonka Selver of the Turks and Caicos Islands was dethroned a few weeks before leaving for the pageant and the organization didn't replace her. Shirley Yeung of Hong Kong, Loredana Zammit of Malta, and Gabriela Riquelme of Paraguay withdrew after their respective organizations lost their lincenses. Hong Kong began sending their candidates to Miss China in 2003. Argentina, Barbados, Botswana, New Zealand, and Taiwan withdrew after their respective organizations failed to hold a national competition or appoint a delegate.

Results
Oxana Fedorova, the dethroned winner

Placements
Placement Contestant
Miss Universe 2002
1st runner-up
2nd runner-up
  •  China – Ling Zhuo[10]
3rd runner-up
  •  South Africa – Vanessa Carreira[10]
4th runner-up
Top 10

Special awards
Award Winner
Miss Photogenic
  • Puerto Rico Puerto Rico – Isis Casalduc[10]
Miss Congeniality
  • United States Virgin Islands United States Virgin Islands – Merlisa George

Best National Costume
Placement Contestant
Winner
  • Colombia Colombia – Vanessa Mendoza[11]
1st runner-up
  • Puerto Rico Puerto Rico – Isis Casalduc[11]
2nd runner-up
  • Dominican Republic Dominican Republic – Ruth Ocumárez[11]

Pageant

Final telecast

Contestants
Miss Universe 2002 participating countries and territories

Seventy-five contestants competed for the title.

Country/Territory Contestant Age[lower-alpha 1] Hometown
Albania Albania Anisa Kospiri 19 Tirana
Angola Angola Giovana Leite 18 Luanda
Antigua and Barbuda Antigua and Barbuda Aisha Ralph[12] 24 St. John's
Aruba Aruba Deyanira Frank 23 San Nicolaas
Australia Australia Sarah Davies 19 Brisbane
The Bahamas The Bahamas Nadia Albury[13] 21 Nassau
Belgium Belgium Ann Van Elsen[14] 22 Mol
Bolivia Bolivia Paola Coimbra[15] 21 Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Brazil Brazil Joseane Oliveira 20 Canoas
British Virgin Islands British Virgin Islands Anestasia Tonge 18 Tortola
Bulgaria Bulgaria Elina Georgieva 19 Sofia
Canada Canada Neelam Verma[16] 26 Montreal
Cayman Islands Cayman Islands Shannon McLean 24 East End
Chile Chile Nicole Rencoret 25 Santiago
China China Zhuo Ling[17] 19 Shanghai
Colombia Colombia Vanessa Mendoza 20 Unguía
Costa Rica Costa Rica Merilyn Villalta 22 Cartago
Croatia Croatia Ivana Paris 18 Pazin
Curaçao Curaçao Ayanette Statia 19 Willemstad
Cyprus Cyprus Demetra Eleftheriou 19 Nicosia
Czech Republic Czech Republic Diana Kobzanová[18] 20 Roudná
Dominican Republic Dominican Republic Ruth Ocumárez 20 Santo Domingo
Ecuador Ecuador Isabel Ontaneda-Pinto 23 Quito
Egypt Egypt Sally Shaheen 24 Cairo
El Salvador El Salvador Elisa Sandoval 22 San Salvador
Estonia Estonia Jana Tafenau 19 Tallinn
Finland Finland Janette Broman 20 Lieto
France France Sylvie Tellier 20 Nantes
Germany Germany Natascha Börger[19] 21 Bönningstedt
Ghana Ghana Stephanie Walkins-Fia 22 Accra
Greece Greece Lena Paparigopoulou 21 Athens
Guatemala Guatemala Carina Velasquez 21 Zacapa
Guyana Guyana Mia Rahaman[12] 22 Georgetown
Honduras Honduras Erika Ramirez 18 Atlántida
Hungary Hungary Edit Friedl 23 Budapest
India India Neha Dhupia 21 Delhi
Republic of Ireland Ireland Lisa O'Sullivan 20 South Dublin
Israel Israel Yamit Har-Noy 20 Oranit
Italy Italy Anna Rigon 23 Vicenza
Jamaica Jamaica Sanya Hughes[12] 19 Kingston
Japan Japan Mina Chiba 24 Tokyo
Kenya Kenya Julie Njeru 19 Laikipia
Malaysia Malaysia Karen Lit Eit Ang 25 Kuching
Mauritius Mauritius Karen Alexandre 22 Port Louis
Mexico Mexico Ericka Cruz 20 Mérida
Namibia Namibia Michelle Heitha 26 Windhoek
Netherlands Netherlands Kim Kötter 19 Losser
Nicaragua Nicaragua Marianela Lacayo 21 Managua
Nigeria Nigeria Chinenye Ochuba 18 Lagos
Northern Mariana Islands Northern Mariana Islands Virginia Gridley 22 Chalan Kanoa
Norway Norway Hege Hatlo[20] 21 Rogaland
Panama Panama Justine Pasek 22 Panama City
Peru Peru Adriana Zubiate[21] 20 Callao
Philippines Philippines Karen Loren Agustín[22] 19 Manila
Poland Poland Joanna Dozdrowska[23] 23 Szczecin
Portugal Portugal Iva Lamarão[24] 19 Ovar
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Isis Casalduc 21 Utuado
Russia Russia Oxana Fedorova 24 Saint Petersburg
Singapore Singapore Nuraliza Osman 25 Singapore
Slovakia Slovakia Eva Džodlová 19 Prešov
Slovenia Slovenia Iris Mulej 20 Kranj
South Africa South Africa Vanessa Carreira 22 Boksburg
South Korea South Korea Kim Min-kyoung 20 Seoul
Spain Spain Vania Millan 24 Almería
Sweden Sweden Malou Hansson 19 Järfälla
Switzerland Switzerland Jennifer Ann Gerber 20 Aargau
Thailand Thailand Janjira Janchome 19 Phitsanulok
Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago Nasma Mohammed[12] 23 Princes Town
Turkey Turkey Çağla Kubat 23 İzmir
Ukraine Ukraine Liliana Gorova 20 Kyiv
United States United States Shauntay Hinton 23 Washington, D.C.
United States Virgin Islands United States Virgin Islands Merlisa Rhonda George 26 Saint Croix
Uruguay Uruguay Fiorella Fleitas 20 Canelones
Venezuela Venezuela Cynthia Lander 19 Caracas
Serbia and Montenegro Yugoslavia Slađana Božović 21 Kragujevac

Notes
  1. Ages at the time of the pageant

References
  1. Martinez, Barbara E. (May 30, 2002). "Russia Is Miss Universe". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  2. "Deposed Miss Couldn't Give The Time". CBS News. September 23, 2002. Retrieved May 28, 2022.
  3. "New Miss Universe Crowned". CNN. September 24, 2002. Retrieved December 25, 2018.
  4. "Back in PR". Manila Standard. December 21, 2001. p. 16. Retrieved August 3, 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  5. "Los padres de Lorena Van Heerde denuncian a la organización de Miss España por impago". HOLA USA. April 5, 2002.
  6. "Lorena Van Heerde: 'Aunque habían enviado mi documentación a Miss Universo, sabían que no pensaba ir'". HOLA USA. April 11, 2002.
  7. Chanona, Janelle (May 29, 2002). "Miss Belize will wait until 2003 for Miss Universe". Channel 5 Belize. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  8. Smith, Julia Llewellyn (March 7, 2002). "The tall story of a beauty queen". The Telegraph. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  9. "Miss Universe boycott". The Australian Jewish News. May 31, 2002. p. 2. Retrieved November 12, 2022 – via Trove.
  10. Daigle, Katy (May 30, 2002). "Miss Russia Named 2002 Miss Universe". Associated Press. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  11. "Feathers, firefighters on parade at Miss Universe costume show". Sun Weekend. May 25, 2002. p. 11. Retrieved October 24, 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  12. Persaud, Felicia (May 16, 2002). "Caribbean Nationals Among Miss Universe Contenders". Queens Chronicle. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  13. "Bahamas beauty". Sun Weekend. May 25, 2002. p. 6. Retrieved August 3, 2023 – via Google News Archive.
  14. "Ann van Elsen tot Miss België 2002 verkozen" [Ann van Elsen was elected Miss Belgium 2002]. De Standaard (in Flemish). December 7, 2001. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  15. "Paola Coimbra, bellísima a los 40" [Paola Coimbra, beautiful at 40]. El Deber (in European Spanish). April 25, 2021. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  16. Renuka, Methil (September 17, 2001). "Neelam Verma becomes first Indian-Canadian to win Miss Canada-Universe title". India Today. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  17. Rosenthal, Elisabeth (July 16, 2002). "Beijing Journal; Here She Comes! (Will China Ever Be the Same?) (Published 2002)". The New York Times. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  18. "Třináctá Miss soutěžila s třináctkou". iDNES (in Czech). September 13, 2002. Retrieved June 3, 2022.
  19. "Miss Hamburg wird Miss Deutschland" [Miss Hamburg wird Miss Deutschland]. Der Spiegel (in German). January 11, 2002. ISSN 2195-1349. Retrieved July 24, 2023.
  20. "Vant Frøken Norge-kåringen" [Won the Miss Norway award]. Verdens Gang (in Norwegian Bokmål). March 17, 2002. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  21. Alza, Francesca (July 30, 2023). "Fue miss Perú Universo, luchó contra el cáncer de mama y ahora triunfa como entrenadora personal" [She was Miss Peru Universe, fought against breast cancer and now triumphs as a personal trainer]. La República (in Spanish). Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  22. Brizuela, Jayson (March 18, 2002). "Bb, Pilipinas winners set new standars in beauty". Manila Standard. Manila, Philippines: Philippine Manila Standard Publishing, Inc. p. 11. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  23. Sawicka, Magdalena (June 30, 2020). "Miss Polonia 2001 została mamą. Pochwaliła się mężem i słodką córeczką" [Miss Polonia 2001 became a mother. She was proud of her husband and sweet daughter]. Teleshow (in Polish). Retrieved August 3, 2023.
  24. "Iva Lamarão relata encontro com Donald Trump: "Tive de me ir mudar"" [Iva Lamarão reports meeting with Donald Trump: “I had to move”]. TV 7 Dias (in European Portuguese). December 17, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2023.
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