Women from 88 countries stood proud on stage but only one of them reigned supreme. During the telecast of Miss Universe last Sunday in Miami, none other than Miss Colombia was announced as this year's winner.
The 22-year-old business administration student, Paulina Vega, said she was a newcomer to the pageant world, but her beauty, grace, and smarts obviously got her far and she waved proudly to the crowd as the diamond encrusted crown was handed over to her by last year's winner, Miss Venezuela.
Although Miss Universe is known as the world's grandest beauty pageant, Vega said she wants her reign to be more than just about her good looks.
"It will be a dream come true to represent the woman of today. A woman that not only cares about being beautiful and being glamorous, but also cares about being a professional, intelligent, hard-working person," she said earlier in the day on what winning would mean to her.
Coming in at 1st runner-up was crowd favorite, 24-year old Miss USA, Nia Sanchez from Las Vegas. A fourth-degree Tae Kwon Do expert, Sanchez herself on a platform of empowerment for women. Although she didn't take home the crown, she certainly went in prepared and the race was neck-and-neck between her and Vega until the moment of the announcement.
The first to be cut from the top five finalists was Miss Jamaica Kaci Fennell, who was clearly a crowd favorite as audible "boos" were heard from the audience when she was asked to step aside.
The other two to make it to the final round were third runner-up Miss Netherlands Yasmin Verheijen, and second runner-up Miss Ukraine Diana Harkusha.
Clearly, Vegas' response during the much-dreaded Q&A portion of the show put her a cut above the rest, impressing the judges with her response via a translator:
"I believe that my country has been an example to be followed for the rest of the countries. We are persevering people...and we continue fighting. Today, we are world leaders in many different parts."
Here are snaps from the 63rd Annual Miss Universe Pageant:
