Miss Universe 2001

Background

Location and date

After twenty-nine years, the Miss Universe pageant returned 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

References

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2. (12 July 1972). "Pageant's security tightened". [[Fort Lauderdale News]].
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6. (10 May 2001). "Monika Gruda walczy o tytuł najpiękniejszej".
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12. (April 11, 2002). "Lorena van Heerde: 'Aunque habían enviado mi documentación a Miss Universo, sabían que no pensaba ir'".
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17. (13 July 2021). "Sau 21 năm, top 3 Hoa hậu Việt Nam 2000 giờ ra sao?".
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32. (July 29, 2017). "El título les dio alegrías, trabajo y fama que aún saborean".
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37. (June 3, 2004). "Carolina Gámez quiere protagonizar cinta "tipo Bim Bam Bum"".
38. (November 6, 2021). "Andrea Noceti recordó polémica en su reinado como Señorita Colombia, cuando un presentador bromeó con el narcotráfico".
39. (October 22, 2000). "Paola, Miss Costa Rica".
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41. (March 12, 2010). "Miss Kocarová bude mít holčičku".
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43. (January 30, 2010). "Jéssica Bermúdez alumbró con temas de Juanes y Plaza".
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55. (12 May 2001). "Bulletproof Miss Israel Finishes as a Finalist".
56. (2 April 2001). "Da Napoli a Miss Universo «E' tutto merito di papà»". [[La Stampa]].
57. (20 February 2014). "New Show Challenges Idea That 'Nobody Cares About The Caribbean'". NPR.
58. (September 23, 2000). "Miss Lebanon 2000 Announced".
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60. (14 January 2023). "Jacky Bracamontes: "Lloré mucho por no haber sido Miss Universo"".
61. Onnink, Gert. (11 February 2017). "Barendrechtse Miss Universe wil landelijke politiek in".
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63. (8 May 2001). "Ligia Cristina brilla entre las mejores".
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67. (2 September 2000). "Señorita Panamá 2000 "Dejando huellas"".
68. Coronel, Raul. (15 October 2021). "Te presentamos a todas nuestras representantes en Miss Universe".
69. (16 March 2023). "Viviana Rivasplata se pronuncia sobre resultados 'Miss Perú: la pre'".
70. Lo, Ricky. (September 24, 2001). "Who will bring home the crown?".
71. (31 May 2015). "A escolha de... Telma Santos".
72. Rodríguez Caraballo, Harry. (9 September 2020). "¡Felices 40 años! Denise Quiñones llega al cuarto piso".
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74. Meah, Natasha. (20 July 2016). "She went from crown to cupcakes".
75. (14 March 2001). "Lakatošovej miss Z. Baštúrová možno klamala".
76. Bahk, Eun-ji. (8 March 2016). "Miss Korea pageant a path to stardom".
77. (25 April 2001). "Eva Sisó ya está en Puerto Rico donde participará en Miss Universo".
78. Sandeberg, Jane. (13 August 2022). ""Jag har upplevt mer och gjort fler uppbrott"".
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80. (24 April 2001). "Beauty...". [[New Straits Times]].
81. Seebaran, De-siree. (27 October 2012). "Plus-size army growing".
82. (3 March 2001). "Miss Texas named Miss USA 2001".
83. (December 19, 2011). "Former Miss Venezuela dies of breast cancer at 28". [[Reuters]].
84. (1 July 2023). "Beauty pageants boost self-confidence: First Lady".