Miss Universe 2002

Background

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.

Selection of participants

Seventy-five countries and territories competed in the pageant. One candidate was appointed to her position to replace the original winner.

Replacements

Lorena Ayala, the winner of Miss España 2001 pageant, cut all ties with the Miss España organization and lost the right to represent Spain at any international pageant after a threat of a lawsuit against the Miss España Organization by her family, due to a contractual breach with the organization. Ayala was replaced by Vania Millán at the request of the Miss Universe Organization.

Debuts and withdrawals

The 2002 edition saw the debuts of Albania and China, and the returns of Kenya who last competed in Miss Universe 1995, Guyana who last competed in Miss Universe 1999, and Australia, Mauritius, and Namibia who last competed in Miss Universe 2000. Karen Russell of Belize and Yana Booth of Great Britain withdrew due to a change of the local franchise holder. Christina Sawaya, Miss Lebanon 2001, withdrew due to her support of the Second Intifada, stating that she wouldn't compete with Miss Israel 2002, Yamit Har-Noy at the pageant. Euwonka Selver of the Turks and Caicos Islands had her title removed 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 licenses. 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.

Replacement of Oxana Fedorova

In September 2002, four months after winning Miss Universe, Fedorova was replaced by Justine Pasek, making her the first Miss Universe to be removed during their reign. According to then-president of the Miss Universe Organization Paula Shugart, Fedorova was not able to fulfill her duties as she needed to spend a lot of time in Russia. Fedorova was expected to travel extensively and make personal appearances as part of her duties, but she declined to participate in some of those assignments, including the 2002 Miss Teen USA pageant.

In an interview with Russian TV Channel 2, Fedorova said she was surprised when the Miss Universe Organization described her resignation as an ouster, and that the decision to return the crown was up to her. According to Fedorova, the reason why she spent so much time in Russia was because of her education. Fedorova is a police lieutenant in Russia, and at the time she was Miss Universe, she was finishing her dissertation at the Academy of Internal Affairs which she defended in October of the same year. Fedorova also refuted speculations that she is pregnant because she is not yet married.

First runner-up Justine Pasek was crowned as Miss Universe 2002 at a press conference in New York City by Donald Trump.

Results

Placements

Special awards

Best National Costume

Pageant

Format

Same with 2001, 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 2002 and her runners-up were announced.

Selection committee

Final broadcast

• Marshall Faulk – American football player
• Tyrese Gibson – American singer, actor, and model
• Marisol Malaret – Miss Universe 1970 from Puerto Rico
• Christopher McDonald – American actor
• Yue-Sai Kan – Chinese-American actress, host, humanitarian, and entrepreneur
• Oswald Mendez – A contestant from The Amazing Race 2
• Nicole Miller – American fashion designer and businesswoman
• Gena Lee Nolin – American actress and model
• Tatjana Patitz – German model
• Ethan Zohn – American television personality

Contestants

Seventy-five contestants competed for the title.

Notes

References

References

1. Martinez, Barbara E.. (30 May 2002). "Russia Is Miss Universe". [[Washington Post]].
2. (September 24, 2002). "New Miss Universe Crowned". [[CNN]].
3. (21 December 2001). "Back in PR". [[Manila Standard]].
4. (April 5, 2002). "Los padres de Lorena Van Heerde denuncian a la organización de Miss España por impago".
5. (April 11, 2002). "Lorena Van Heerde: 'Aunque habían enviado mi documentación a Miss Universo, sabían que no pensaba ir'".
6. (22 July 2002). "Here she comes!".
7. Chanona, Janelle. (29 May 2002). "Miss Belize will wait until 2003 for Miss Universe".
8. Smith, Julia Llewellyn. (7 March 2002). "The tall story of a beauty queen".
9. (31 May 2002). "Miss Universe boycott". The Australian Jewish News.
10. Lim, Ruey Yan. (14 October 2019). "Hong Kong actress Shirley Yeung confirms pregnancy after keeping her marriage under wraps". The Straits Times.
11. (6 November 2002). "Breves: Audiovisual sobre la juventud".
12. Hajela, Deepti. (23 September 2002). "Miss Universe Gets Dethroned".
13. Whitcomb, Dan. (24 September 2002). "Miss Universe Is Replaced". [[The Washington Post]].
14. (September 23, 2002). "Deposed Miss Couldn't Give The Time".
15. (25 September 2002). "New Miss Universe named after spat".
16. Tong, Julie. (20 March 2018). "'It was a nice time' when Trump owned Miss Universe, says decrowned Russian beauty queen-turned-designer".
17. (24 September 2002). "Miss Universe toppled". BBC.
18. Daigle, Katy. (30 May 2002). "Miss Russia Named 2002 Miss Universe".
19. Daigle, Katy. (30 May 2002). "Miss Russia wins Miss Universe crown". Lakeland Ledger.
20. (25 May 2002). "Feathers, firefighters on parade at Miss Universe costume show". Sun Weekend.
21. Red, Isah V.. (30 May 2002). "Karen Loren Agustin: trained to win". [[Manila Standard]].
22. (8 June 2016). ""Miss Universe Albania 2015" does not hand over the crown!".
23. (24 January 2003). "Angola: Committee Cancels Giovana Pinto's Miss-2002 Title". [[Angola Press Agency]].
24. Persaud, Felicia. (16 May 2002). "Caribbean Nationals Among Miss Universe Contenders".
25. (22 April 2007). "Sad beauty conquers universe".
26. (25 May 2002). "Bahamas beauty". Sun Weekend.
27. (7 December 2001). "Ann van Elsen tot Miss België 2002 verkozen".
28. (25 April 2021). "Paola Coimbra, bellísima a los 40".
29. Alves Jr., Dirceu. (22 April 2002). "Joseane é a Miss Brasil 2002". IstoÉ Gente.
30. Renuka, Methil. (17 September 2001). "Neelam Verma becomes first Indian-Canadian to win Miss Canada-Universe title".
31. Cortez, Delfia. (15 May 2002). "Panameña entre favoritas del concurso Miss Universo".
32. Rosenthal, Elisabeth. (16 July 2002). "Beijing Journal; Here She Comes! (Will China Ever Be the Same?) (Published 2002)". [[The New York Times]].
33. Nesmith, Susannah A.. (12 November 2001). "Newly crowned Miss Colombia breaks through color barrier". Herald-Journal.
34. (22 March 2002). "Miss Costa Rica en nacion.com".
35. (11 April 2016). "Bivša Miss Universe otkrila: Stjepan Mesić mi je očistio škampiće za večeru".
36. (30 May 2002). "Russia Wins 1st Miss Universe Title - CBS News".
37. (September 13, 2002). "Třináctá Miss soutěžila s třináctkou".
38. (25 October 2020). "Ruth Ocumárez se integra a la conducción de un programa de televisión".
39. (28 March 2002). "La nueva Miss Ecuador salió de Quito".
40. (29 May 2002). "World tensions cast shadow over Miss Universe pageant ** Security, political questions add new dimensions to contest.".
41. (25 May 2002). "Fotostrecke zur Miss-Universe-Wahl: Warmlächeln für die Fleischbeschau". Der Spiegel.
42. (12 March 2002). "Skandaal miss Estonia krooni ümber".
43. Asikainen, Merja. (28 May 2023). "Missitähti Katariina Kulve, 42, jätti julkisuuden – kertoo nyt täysin muuttuneesta elämästään".
44. "Sylvie Tellier : l'évolution physique de l'ancienne Miss France".
45. (11 January 2002). "Miss Hamburg wird Miss Deutschland". [[Der Spiegel]].
46. (3 November 2020). "Λένα Παπαρηγοπούλου : Τι κάνει σήμερα η Σταρ Ελλάς 2002;".
47. (31 December 2015). "Conoce a la ex Miss Guatemala y bella presentadora Carina Velásquez".
48. (24 September 2002). "Acusan a Señorita Honduras 2001 de ser nicaragüense".
49. (4 July 2022). "Neha Dhupia completes 20 years as Miss India, Dia Mirza shares a note for her 'fierce, authentic' friend".
50. Fernane, Stephen. (22 February 2020). "Former Miss Ireland Lisa's heartfelt story".
51. (29 May 2002). "Miss Universe: all is not harmony".
52. Mutterle, Paolo. (11 November 2016). "La miss vicentina parla di Trump «Un gentiluomo»".
53. Maylam, John. (26 November 2002). "Duval puts personal stamp on golf in Japan".
54. (27 May 2002). "Malaysia's pride". New Straits Times.
55. (21 October 2018). "Miss Mauritius : Une couronne qui ne scintille plus".
56. (12 May 2002). "Erika Cruz a Miss Universo". La Opinion.
57. (12 April 2007). "Beauty Pageant Launched".
58. (12 May 2002). "Erika Cruz a Miss Universo". La Opinion.
59. (8 March 2002). "Miss Nicaragua: Marianela Lacayo 2002".
60. (5 January 2012). "From Beauty Queen to Mum of 2! MBGN 2002 Chinenye Ochuba-Akinlade gives birth to a baby boy".
61. (8 May 2002). "Miss CNMI Universe heads for Puerto Rico".
62. (17 March 2002). "Vant Frøken Norge-kåringen".
63. (1 September 2001). "Una Miss Panamá preocupada por el turismo y la ecología".
64. Alza, Francesca. (30 July 2023). "Fue miss Perú Universo, luchó contra el cáncer de mama y ahora triunfa como entrenadora personal".
65. Brizuela, Jayson. (March 18, 2002). "Bb, Pilipinas winners set new standars in beauty". Philippine Manila Standard Publishing, Inc.
66. Sawicka, Magdalena. (30 June 2020). "Miss Polonia 2001 została mamą. Pochwaliła się mężem i słodką córeczką".
67. (17 December 2020). "Iva Lamarão relata encontro com Donald Trump: "Tive de me ir mudar"".
68. (24 September 2014). "Suenan las campanas de boda para la ex Miss Puerto Rico Isis Casalduc".
69. (25 September 2002). "I'm not married, says dethroned Miss Universe".
70. Meah, Natasha. (19 July 2016). "Grooming Miss Universe Singapore".
71. (3 March 2002). "Miss Universe SR 2002 je dcéra riaditeľky DD Slon Eva Džodlová".
72. (21 February 2002). "Iris Mulej je postala Miss Universe 2002".
73. Birjalal, Alyssia. (16 August 2023). "Vanessa Carreira-Coutroulis reflects on winning Miss SA 22 years ago".
74. (30 October 2024). "Beloved Actress Announces Marriage To Non-Celebrity Next Month".
75. (26 February 2002). "Grattis Malou Hansson". Aftonbladet.
76. (9 May 2020). "Jennifer Ann Gerber: «Die erste Zeit hatte meine Familie Priorität»".
77. Silverman, Stephen. (4 March 2002). "New Miss USA Keeps the Flag Waving".
78. (5 November 2007). "Miss and Mr. St. Croix Contestant Presentation Marks Festival Kickoff".
79. (18 April 2002). "Fiorella Fleitas es Miss Uruguay".
80. Suárez, Orlando. (27 July 2022). "Misses venezolanas de sangre azul".
81. (10 June 2023). "O NJIHOVOJ LEPOTI SE PRIČA ŠIROM DIJASPORE: Najlepše Srpkinje za koje sigurno niste čuli a osvajale su prestižne titule". Kurir.