Despite being a relative pageant newcomer, Miss Colombia Paulina Vega has been crowned Miss Universe, beating out first runner-up Miss USA Nia Sanchez and contestants from more than 80 other countries.
At Sunday's pageant in Miami, Vega, a 22-year-old student of business administration from Barranquilla, Colombia, said she would wear the crown with "pride and excitement" as she heard the news that fans in Colombia had taken to the streets to celebrate.
Real estate mogul and reality TV star Donald Trump, who owns the pageant, said in a statement that many predicted Vega would take the crown a few weeks ago when contestants first arrived in Miami for the festivities.
Crowd favorite Miss Venezuela Migbelis Lynette Castellanos was cut after the top ten. She had tremendous support and pressure locally and back home.
Pageants and performance run in Vega's family. Her grandmother, Elvira Castillo, was Miss Atlántico 1953 (Colombia) and her grandfather is legendary tenor Gastón Vega.
After Sanchez, the 24-year-old Miss USA from Las Vegas, Nevada, the second runner-up was Miss Ukraine Diana Harkusha. Miss Jamaica Kaci Fennell and Miss Netherlands Yasmin Verheijen were also among the top five, emerging from the field of 88 contestants.
Fennell stood out with her short, spiky haircut and feisty personality.
"I don't have long tresses like everyone else. I'm just representing myself, and that's what beauty pageants are all about," said Fennell in an interview, who wore a long, red beaded evening gown. "You don't have to look a certain way ... and I feel like I represent that."
Twitter broke into mourning when Fennel failed to get the crown.
As Miss Universe, Vega will receive an undisclosed salary, a luxury apartment in New York, a wardrobe and oodles of beauty products, and a one-year scholarship from the New York Film Academy.
