Mexico City - The Japanese Riyo Mori could hardly believe her performance at the end of the Miss Universe gala in Mexico City.
'Yes, you are the winner,' her Puerto Rican predecessor Zuleyka Rivera told her in the Mexican capital's packed National Auditorium.
'Yes, I am Miss Universe,' a visibly moved Mori replied late Monday.
She had just given Japan its second Miss Universe title, after Akiko Kojima wore the coveted crown distinguishing the most beautiful woman in the world in 1959.
Mori, 20, received the crown adorned with 800 diamonds and 120 pearls - valued at 250,000 dollars - from Miss Universe 2006, Rivera.
According to the Miss Universe website, the world's most beautiful woman 'has been dancing since she was 4.'
'She loves traveling the world and enjoys visiting museums and watching musicals,' the organization said.
The flip side of the coin was for the United States representative, Rachel Smith. She came last among the five finalists, but that was probably not the worst of her day.
Miss USA fell to the ground on stage during the evening gown competition, and was later booed by the close to 10,000 people in the auditorium. A similar thing had already happened to her weeks ago, in the national costume parade on the streets of Mexico City.
Tycoon Donald Trump, one of the owners of the beauty pageant, said in a press conference that the jeering was not really intended for Smith, but rather for the policies of the United States.
In particular, the Mexican public is thought to have shown its displeasure with the current US attitude to Latin American immigrants, including the construction of a fence on the common border.
Be that as it may, the event's organizers made the most of a commercial break to remind the audience that the whole world was watching a minority of a few thousand people who took it upon themselves to harm the image of Mexico.
The mostly Mexican audience in the auditorium was also at odds with the jury's decisions. When fellow-Mexican Rosa Maria Ojeda - of Aztec descent - was eliminated in the semifinals, they backed Miss Brazil, Natalia Guimaraes.
Guimaraes - who had been considered a favourite - finally came second to Miss Japan, but the public at the auditorium applauded Mori just the same. Another Latin American, the Venezuelan Ly Jonaitis, took third place among the 77 candidates, while the remaining finalists were South Korean Honey Lee and Miss USA.
China's Ningning Zhang was chosen Miss Congeniality, and Filipino Anna Theresa Licaros was named Miss Photogenic.
Among many other benefits as Miss Universe, Mori is to receive a year-long salary, the use of a New York City apartment during her reign and a personal wardrobe, as well as a two-year scholarship from The NY Film Academy valued at up to 100,000 dollars.
In return for such privileges, she will be required to remain single and not to have children throughout her reign. Afterwards, she will return to a more normal lifestyle.
Mori's predecessor Zuleyka Rivera already made it clear early Tuesday that she intends to pursue a career as an actress.
The Miss Universe gala was broadcast to some 1 billion people in over 170 countries, according to the event's organizers.
The Miss Universe Organization, which produces Miss Universe, is a Donald J Trump and NBC broadcaster partnership, and aims among other things to promote global awareness of illnesses like AIDS and breast and ovarian cancer.
'The titleholders of the Miss Universe Organization personify the combination of beauty and intelligence that defines the 21st Century,' the organization says in its website.
The United States holds the most Miss Universe titles in history, with a total of seven. Puerto Rico follows, with five, while Venezuela has four.
Trump noted that Tokyo, Beijing and Moscow 'and six other cities' are candidates to host the Miss Universe 2008 gala.
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