Khanh Hoa (VNA) – Miss Venezuela Dayana Mendoza won the Miss Universe 2008 pageant held in Nha Trang seaside city, central Khanh Hoa province, on July 14.
Mendoza , 22, competed with 79 others during a month-long contest hosted by Vietnam for the first time, to take the 120,000 USD crown and other prizes.
The coronation took place at Nha Trang city’s Crown Convention Centre full of 7,000 local spectators and was broadcast live by the US ’s NBC to millions of viewers in 170 countries and territories.
Vietnamese Vice State President Nguyen Thi Doan was among the audience.
The final five contestants included four from Latin America : Miss Mexico , Miss Dominican Republic, Miss Colombia and Miss Venezuela , besides Miss Russia .
Miss Colombia Taliana Vargas finished second behind Mendoza , followed by Miss Dominican Republic Marianne Cruz, Miss Russia Vera Krasova, and Miss Mexico Elisa Najera.
Miss Vietnam Nguyen Thuy Lam finished in the shortlist of 15, including her peers from Australia, Czech, Japan, Italia, Hungary, Kosovo, South Africa, Spain, and the US.
Miss Thailand Gavintra Photijak won the prize for best national costume and Miss El Salvador Rebecca Moreno was chosen by her peers as Miss Congeniality.-Enditem
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