Miss Universe 1992

Miss Universe 1992
Date	May 8, 1992
Presenters	Dick Clark, Leeza Gibbons and Angela Visser
Venue	Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand
Broadcaster	CBS, MCOT
Entrants	78
Placements	10
Debuts	CIS, Hungary
Withdraws	Belize, Ghana, Hong Kong, Italy, St. Vincent & Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Yugoslavia
Returns	Aruba, Australia, Austria, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Honduras, Kenya, New Zealand, Portugal, Switzerland
Winner	Michelle McLean  Namibia
Congeniality	Barbara Johnson  Turks & Caicos
Best National Costume	Pamela Zarza  Paraguay
Photogenic	Soledad Diab  Ecuador

Miss Universe 1992, the 41st Miss Universe pageant, was held at Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand on May 8, 1992. 78 international beauties competed for the Miss Universe crown.

At the conclusion of the final telecast, Michelle McLean of Namibia was crowned Miss Universe 1992 by outgoing titleholder Lupita Jones of Mexico.^[1] She was the first titleholder from Africa since Margaret Gardiner in 1978, and the first Namibian to place in the pageant in the six years her nation had been competing.

Delegates arrived in Thailand in late April for pre-pageant events, including the national costume competition and preliminary competitions held prior to the final telecast. The national costume competition took place on May 3.

The pageant was hosted by Dick Clark for the third consecutive year, and colour commentary was provided by Leeza Gibbons for the third time and Miss Universe 1989 Angela Visser for the second time.

This was the first time the pageant was held in Thailand, four years after Porntip Nakhirunkanok won Thailand's second Miss Universe title in 1988.

Results

Countries and territories which sent delegates and results.

Placements

Result	Contestant
Miss Universe 1992	Namibia - Michelle McLean
1st runner-up	Colombia - Paola Turbay
2nd runner-up	India - Madhu Sapre
Top 6	Venezuela - Carolina Izsak  Netherlands - Vivian Jansen  Belgium - Anke van Dermeersch
Top 10	Australia - Georgina Denahy  USA - Shannon Marketic  New Zealand - Lisa Maree de Montalk  Sweden - Monica Brodd

Semifinal scores

Delegate Swimsuit Interview Evening Gown Average Top 6 Finalists  Venezuela 9.357 (1) 9.586 (2) 9.679 (1) 9.541 (1) 9.486 (4)  Colombia 9.221 (5) 9.643 (1) 9.607 (4) 9.490 (2) 9.514 (3)  India 9.321 (2) 9.508 (5) 9.629 (2) 9.486 (3) 9.771 (1)  Namibia 9.243 (4) 9.529 (3) 9.614 (3) 9.462 (4) 9.643 (2)  Netherlands 9.280 (3) 9.229 (9) 9.421 (5) 9.310 (5) 9.417 (5)  Belgium 8.986 (6) 9.526 (4) 9.361 (6) 9.291 (6) 9.257 (6)  Australia 8.857 (7) 9.242 (8) 9.327 (7) 9.142 (7)  USA 8.721 (9) 9.350 (6) 9.250 (8) 9.107 (8)  New Zealand 8.743 (8) 9.350 (6) 9.043 (9) 9.045 (9)  Sweden 8.686 (10) 8.786 (10) 8.971 (10) 8.814 (10)

Winner      First runner-up      Second runner-up      Top 6 finalist      Top 10 semifinalist (#) Rank in each round of competition

Special awards

Award	Contestant
Best National Costume	Paraguay - Pamela Zarza  Thailand - Ornanong Panyawong  Spain - Virginia García
Miss Congeniality	Turks & Caicos - Barbara Johnson
Miss Photogenic	Ecuador - Soledad Diab
Catalina Best in Swimsuit	Venezuela - Carolina Izsak

Judges

• Kim Alexis – Former American model.
• Robin Leach – English celebrity writer and host of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.
• Miriam Makeba – South African singer and civil rights activist.
• Luis Enrique – Nicaraguan singer and composer.
• Marion Dougherty – Casting director of Warner Bros. Studios.
• Ron Duguay – Canadian professional ice hockey player.
• Vijay Amritraj – Former Indian tennis player.
• Estelle Getty – American actress.
• Khunying Sasima Srivikorn – Thai businesswoman and CEO.

Contestants

Argentina - Laura Rafael  Aruba - Yerusha Rasmijn  Australia - Georgina Denahy  Austria - Katrin Friedl  Bahamas - Fontella Chipman  Belgium - Anke van Dermeersch  Bermuda - Colita Joseph  Bolivia - Natasha Gabriella Arana  Brazil - Maria Carolina Portella Otto  British Virgin Islands - Alicia Burke  Bulgaria - Michaella Dinova Nikolova  Canada - Nicole Dunsdon  Cayman Islands - Yvette Peggy Jordison  Chile - Marcela Vacarezza  CIS - Lidia Kuborskaya  Colombia - Paola Turbay  Cook Islands - Jeannine Tuavera  Costa Rica - Jessica Manley Fredrich  Curaçao - Mijanou de Paula  Cyprus - Militsa Papadopolou  Czechoslovakia - Michaela Maláčová  Denmark - Anne Mette Voss  Dominican Republic - Liza Gonzales  Ecuador - Soledad Diab  Egypt - Lamia Noshi Mohammed  El Salvador - Melissa Salazar  Finland - Kirsi Syrjanen  France - Linda Hardy  Germany - Monica Resch  Great Britain - Tiffany Stanford  Greece - Marina Tsintikidou  Guam - Cheryl Debra Payne  Guatemala - Nancy Maricela Perez  Honduras - Monica Raquel Rapalo  Hungary - Dora Patko  Iceland - Svava Haraldsdóttir  India - Madhushri Sapre  Ireland - Jane Thompson  Israel - Eynat Zmora

Jamaica - Bridgette Rhoden  Japan - Akiko Ando  Kenya - Aisha Wawira Lieberg  Korea - Young-Hyun Lee  Lebanon - Abeer Sharrouf  Luxembourg - Carole Redding  Malaysia - Crystal Yong  Malta - Julienne Camilleri  Mauritius - Stephanie Raymond  Mexico - Monica Zuñiga  Namibia - Michelle McLean  Netherlands - Vivian Jansen  New Zealand - Lisa Maree de Montalk  Nicaragua - Ida Patricia Delaney  Nigeria - Sandra Guenefred Petgrave  Northern Marianas - Imelda Antonio  Norway - Anne Sofie Galaen  Panama - Ana Cecilia Orillac  Paraguay - Pamela Zarza  Peru - Aline Arce Santos  Philippines - Lizbeth Garcia Berroya  Poland - Izabela Filipowska  Portugal - Maria Fernanda Silva  Puerto Rico - Daisy Garcia  China/Taiwan - Shih Hsiu Chieh  Romania - Corina Corduneanu  Singapore - Cori Teo  Spain - Virginia García  Sri Lanka - Hiranthi Divapriya  Suriname - Nancy Kasann  Sweden - Monica Brodd  Switzerland - Sandra Aegerter  Thailand - Ornanong Panyawong  Turkey - Elif Ilgaz  Turks & Caicos - Barbara Johnson  Uruguay - Gabriela Escobar Ventura  USA - Shannon Marketic  U.S. Virgin Islands - Cathy-Mae Sitaram  Venezuela - Carolina Izsak

Preliminary scores

Delegate Swimsuit Interview Evening Gown Average Venezuela 9.39 9.47 9.57 9.477 Namibia 9.15 9.03 9.26 9.147 Belgium 8.94 9.10 8.91 8.983 Colombia 8.88 9.01 9.01 8.969 India 8.91 9.15 8.79 8.952 Netherlands 9.07 8.64 9.05 8.921 USA 8.79 9.10 8.74 8.874 Australia 8.54 9.21 8.66 8.805 New Zealand 8.89 8.97 8.51 8.789 Sweden 8.66 8.63 9.03 8.773 Iceland[a] 9.18 8.21 8.93 8.773 Turkey 8.62 8.87 8.74 8.743 U.S. Virgin Islands 8.81 8.90 8.50 8.737 Norway 8.67 8.69 8.84 8.733 Finland 8.81 8.53 8.81 8.717 Mexico 8.41 8.96 8.67 8.680 Dominican Republic 9.02 8.36 8.59 8.657 Bahamas 8.69 8.64 8.62 8.650 Puerto Rico 8.29 8.91 8.68 8.627 Thailand 8.53 8.67 8.62 8.607 Cook Islands 8.57 8.28 8.83 8.560 Czechoslovakia 8.77 8.60 8.31 8.560 Spain 8.34 8.76 8.56 8.553 Hungary 8.59 8.83 8.19 8.537 Israel 8.76 8.20 8.56 8.507 Germany 8.54 8.26 8.71 8.503 Chile 8.63 8.64 8.21 8.493 Paraguay 8.47 8.36 8.64 8.490 Panama 8.25 8.53 8.44 8.407 Canada 8.24 8.81 8.17 8.407 Ecuador 8.19 8.47 8.53 8.397 El Salvador 8.59 8.30 8.28 8.390 Switzerland 8.55 8.61 7.94 8.367 Jamaica 8.09 8.56 8.43 8.360 Cayman Islands 8.07 8.23 8.71 8.337 Philippines 8.13 8.53 8.34 8.333 Portugal 8.30 8.44 8.24 8.327 Poland 8.41 8.04 8.52 8.323 Guam 8.15 8.48 8.34 8.323 Mauritius 8.45 8.45 8.07 8.323 Brazil 8.17 8.64 8.04 8.283 Romania 8.17 8.25 8.34 8.253 Ireland 7.91 8.55 8.29 8.250 Cyprus 8.21 8.51 7.99 8.237 Uruguay 8.09 8.67 7.88 8.213 Korea 8.28 7.94 8.34 8.187 Greece 8.28 7.71 8.54 8.177 Bermuda 8.03 8.14 8.29 8.153 Kenya 7.73 8.78 7.89 8.133 Denmark 8.36 8.29 7.71 8.120 Great Britain 7.83 8.49 8.01 8.110 Commonwealth of Independent States 8.20 7.91 8.10 8.070 Argentina 8.16 8.01 7.99 8.053 Peru 7.75 7.89 8.52 8.053 Bolivia 7.63 8.80 7.68 8.037 Luxembourg 7.96 8.41 7.72 8.030 Nicaragua 7.75 8.37 7.74 7.953 Austria 7.97 8.03 7.78 7.927 Japan 8.12 8.00 7.63 7.917 Costa Rica 7.57 8.69 7.41 7.890 Sri Lanka 7.38 8.50 7.77 7.883 Singapore 7.59 7.96 8.02 7.857 Malaysia 8.00 7.59 7.80 7.797 Turks & Caicos 7.47 8.50 7.41 7.793 China/Taiwan 7.78 7.89 7.65 7.773 Bulgaria 7.71 7.87 7.66 7.747 Nigeria 7.29 8.11 7.61 7.670 Egypt 7.37 7.99 7.54 7.633 Northern Marianas 7.43 8.01 7.46 7.633 Aruba 7.20 8.12 7.54 7.620 British Virgin Islands 7.36 7.85 7.56 7.590 Honduras 7.16 7.84 7.76 7.587 Malta 7.19 8.02 7.48 7.563 Lebanon 7.26 8.06 7.29 7.537 Curaçao 7.37 7.89 7.33 7.530 Guatemala 7.18 7.98 7.40 7.520 Suriname 7.13 7.72 7.62 7.490 France[b] X.XX X.XX X.XX X.XXX

Winner      First runner-up      Second runner-up      Top 6 finalist      Top 10 semifinalist

^a Iceland placed eleventh, after a very low interview score, and was separated by one ten-thousandth of a point from the Top 10.
^b France's scores did not appear during the telecast.

Contestant notes

• A number of contestants had previously competed at or later competed in the Miss World pageant:
  • Cathy-Mae Sitaram of the US Virgin Islands competed at Miss World 1988.
  • Aisha Wawira Lieberg of Kenya competed at Miss World 1990.
  • Miss Universe winner Michelle McLean previously placed fourth runner-up at Miss World 1991. Top six finalist Anke Van Dermeersch of Belgium also competed at Miss World 1991 but did not place. Lisa Marie de Montaulk of New Zealand placed in the semi-finals at both pageants. Other contestants who competed at Miss World 1991 were: Yvette Peggy Jordison (Cayman Islands), Svava Haraldsdóttir (Iceland) and Sandra Aegerter (Switzerland).
  • Linda Hardy (France) and Sandra Guenefred Petgrave (Nigeria) competed at Miss World 1992.
• Einat Zamoa, who represented Israel, placed first runner-up in the Miss Israel pageant but was sent to Miss Universe because the winner, Ravit Asaf, was under the age restriction of 18 years.^[2]
• Miss Hong Kong 1991, Amy Kwok was expected to represent Hong Kong and even arrived in Bangkok, but was disqualified because she did not meet residency requirements. Kwok was a US resident who became the first overseas contestant to win the Miss Hong Kong title. The same issue came up again in Miss Universe 1996 when the winner Winnie Yeung was also a US citizen and she was disqualified. The 1st runner up in the pageant, Sofie Rahman was her replacement. ^[3]
• Prior to the final telecast a sports analyst for USA Today picked Shannon Marketic (USA) and Carolina Izsak (Venezuela) as co-favourites to win the title, offering 4-1 odds.^[4]

Host city

Thailand anticipated holding the pageant as early as August 1991, when thousands of slum dwellers were evicted in order to improve the image of the city prior to a World Bank conference that was held in the city in October and the pageant.^[5]

The official announcement that Bangkok would host the pageant was made in December 1991, with the date initially set as May 16.^[6] In March the date was moved back to May 8 so that it would not clash with Wisakha Bucha Day, a Buddhist holiday.^[7]

Political crisis

The pageant was held amidst a political crisis in Thailand that culminated on 17 May in the Black May protests against the government of General Suchinda Kraprayoon. The day prior to the event the public relations director expressed fears that the show might have to be cancelled if the situation escalated, although the threat was played down by other pageant officials.^[8]

References

1. ^ "Namibia Wins Miss Universe Pageant". Associated Press. 1992-05-08. 
2. ^ "Miss Israel loser gives up quest to be Miss Universe". The Jerusalem Post. 1992-04-13. 
3. ^ "Miss Hong Kong disqualified from Miss Universe contest". Agence France-Press. 1992-04-21. 
4. ^ Landis, David (1992-05-06). "Best-bet Beauties". USA Today. 
5. ^ Shenon, Philip (1991-08-25). "Thailand Evicting the Poor: Coming Events Spur Leaders to Level Slum". Los Angeles Daily News. 
6. ^ "Miss Universe contest to be held Bangkok in May". Agence France-Press. 1991-12-17. 
7. ^ "Organizers seek new date for beauty pageant". Agence France-Press. 1992-03-06. 
8. ^ "Miss Universe organiser says political crisis theatens pageant". Agence France-Presse. 1992-05-07. 

External links

• Official Miss Universe website