Miss Universe 2000

Miss Universe 2000
Date12 May 2000[1]
Presenters
Entertainment
VenueEleftheria Indoor Hall, Nicosia, Cyprus
Broadcaster
  • CBS(international)
  • CyBC (official broadcaster)
Entrants79
Placements10
Withdrawals
  • Austria
  • Bonaire
  • Barbados
  • Cook Islands
  • Curaçao
  • Guyana
  • Nicaragua
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Suriname
  • Turkey
  • United States Virgin Islands
  • Zambia
Returns
  • Bulgaria
  • Denmark
  • Guam
  • Netherlands
  • Norway
  • Saint Martin
  • Zimbabwe
WinnerLara Dutta
India
CongenialityTamara Scaroni, Aruba
Best National CostumeLetty Murray, Mexico
PhotogenicHelen Lindes, Spain
← 1999
2001 →

Miss Universe 2000 was the 49th Miss Universe pageant, held at the Eleftheria Indoor Hall in Nicosia, Cyprus on 12 May 2000.[1]

At the end of the event, Mpule Kwelagobe of Botswana crowned Lara Dutta of India as Miss Universe 2000. It is the country's second victory in the pageant's history.

Contestants from seventy-nine countries and territories competed in this year's pageant. The competition was hosted by Sinbad, with Miss USA 1996 Ali Landry and Julie Moran providing commentary and analysis throughout the event. Elvis Crespo, Dave Koz, Montell Jordan, and Anna Vissi performed in this year's pageant.

Background

Location and date

Nicosia was announced as host city of the pageant on 1 July 1999.[2] The country invested $3.5 million in the event, in the hope that the publicity would increase tourism, the island's main industry.[3]

Conservative Cypriot church leaders protested the decision to hold the pageant on the island, claiming that millennium celebrations of the birth of Christ were more important and that the event was scandalous and would promote female nudity.[4]

Selection of participants

Replacements

Miss Hungary Universe 2000, Ágnes Nagy couldn't participate for personal reasons, her first runner-up Izabella Kiss took her place. Miss Italia 1999, Manila Nazzaro was the initial Italian representative to Miss Universe 2000, but the Miss Italia Organization lost their Miss Universe licence that year due to MUO objections that the national contest was opened to married women and mothers since 1994. Then a new contest called The Miss for Miss Universe was organized by the American – Italian actress Clarissa Burtt from 2000 to 2005.[5] Annalisa Guadalupi won the first edition of the pageant. Initially, Miss Russia organizers wanted to send Miss Russia 1997–1998, Yelena Rogozhina to Miss Universe 2000, but her victory at the Miss Europe 1999 contest in Lebanon made her unable to compete at Miss Universe. The winner of Miss Russia 1999, Anna Kruglova, also was ineligible for Miss Universe due to her being underage at the time. Then, the organizers of the Miss Russia contest decided to pick Miss Russia 1999 – first runner-up, Svetlana Goreva for Miss Universe 2000. Initially, the Miss Venezuela Organization chose Martina Thorogood to represent their country at both Miss Universe and Miss World 1999. However, Miss Universe officials objected to this as Thorogood placed first runner-up at Miss World 99 and there was a chance that she could become Miss World should the winner resign or lose her crown. Then MVO wanted to send Miss Venezuela 1999 1° Runner Up – Norkys Batista to Miss Universe 2000, but because she wasn't the national official titleholder, the Miss Universe officials rejected their participation. Finally a smaller pageant was held among delegates who had competed in previous Miss Venezuela competitions, and Claudia Moreno was chosen to compete at Miss Universe.[6]

Results

Miss Universe 2000 participating nations and results

Placements

Placement Contestant
Miss Universe 2000
1st runner-up
2nd runner-up
Top 5
Top 10
  •  Colombia – Catalina Acosta
  •  Estonia – Evelyn Mikomägi
  •  France – Sonia Rolland
  •  South Africa – Heather Hamilton
  •  Zimbabwe – Corinne Crewe

Pageant

Selection committee

Final telecast:[7]

Contestants

Seventy-nine contestants competed for the title.

Country/Territory Contestant Age Hometown
Angola Angola Eunice Manita 19 Luanda
Argentina Argentina Andrea Nicastri 25 Buenos Aires
Aruba Aruba Tamara Scaroni 23 San Nicolaas
Australia Australia Samantha Frost 22 Sydney
The Bahamas Bahamas Mikala Moss 24 Nassau
Belgium Belgium Joke Van de Velde 20 Ghent
Belize Belize Shiemicka Richardson 26 Belize City
Bolivia Bolivia Yenny Vaca 18 Santa Cruz de la Sierra
Botswana Botswana Joyce Molemoeng 21 Orapa
Brazil Brazil Josiane Kruliskoski 20 Sinop
British Virgin Islands British Virgin Islands Tausha Vanterpool 22 Tortola
Bulgaria Bulgaria Magdalina Valchanova 22 Plovdiv
Canada Canada Kim Yee 22 Edmonton
Cayman Islands Cayman Islands Mona Lisa Tatum 22 George Town
Chile Chile Francesca Sovino 21 Valparaíso
Colombia Colombia Catalina Acosta 22 Bogotá
Costa Rica Costa Rica Laura Mata 22 San José
Croatia Croatia Renata Lovrinčević 23 Split
Cyprus Cyprus Christy Groutidou 19 Nicosia
Czech Republic Czech Republic Jitka Kocurová 20 Prague
Denmark Denmark Heidi Meyer Vallentin 23 Copenhagen
Dominican Republic Dominican Republic Gilda Jovine 20 Santo Domingo
Ecuador Ecuador Gabriela Cadena 20 Guayaquil
Egypt Egypt Rania El-Sayed 18 Cairo
El Salvador El Salvador Alexandra Rivas 20 San Salvador
Estonia Estonia Evelyn Mikomägi 20 Tallinn
Finland Finland Suvi Miinala 19 Kemi
France France Sonia Rolland 18 Cluny
Germany Germany Sabrina Schepmann 18 Nauen
Ghana Ghana Maame Esi Acquah 18 Cape Coast
United Kingdom Great Britain Louise Lakin 21 Manchester
Greece Greece Eleni Skafida 21 Athens
Guam Guam Lisamarie Quinata 22 Hagåtña
Guatemala Guatemala Evelyn López 21 Guatemala City
Honduras Honduras Flor Garcia 19 San Pedro Sula
Hong Kong Hong Kong Sonija Kwok 25 Hong Kong
Hungary Hungary Izabella Kiss 24 Budapest
India India Lara Dutta 21 Ghaziabad
Republic of Ireland Ireland Louise Doheny 19 Dublin
Israel Israel Nirit Bakshi 18 Beersheba
Italy Italy Annalisa Guadalupi 18 Rome
Jamaica Jamaica Saphire Longmore 24 Clarendon
Japan Japan Mayu Endo 24 Tokyo
Lebanon Lebanon Norma Elias Naoum 23 Beirut
Malaysia Malaysia Lynette Ludi 25 Kuching
Malta Malta Jolene Arpa 18 Santa Luċija
Mauritius Mauritius Jenny Arthemidor 18 Port Louis
Mexico Mexico Leticia Murray 20 Hermosillo
Namibia Namibia Mia de Klerk 20 Khomas
Netherlands Netherlands Chantal van Roessel 25 North Brabant
New Zealand New Zealand Tonia Peachey 19 Auckland
Nigeria Nigeria Matilda Kerry 19 Lagos
Norway Norway Tonje Kristin Wøllo 25 Buskerud
Panama Panama Analía Núñez 20 Panama City
Paraguay Paraguay Carolina Ramírez 20 Alto Paraná
Peru Peru Verónica Rueckner 19 Piura
Philippines Philippines Nina Ricci Alagao 22 Makati
Poland Poland Emilia Raszynska 21 Warmia-Masuria
Portugal Portugal Licinia Macedo 24 Madeira
Puerto Rico Puerto Rico Zoribel Fonalledas 22 Guaynabo
Russia Russia Svetlana Goreva 18 Moscow
Singapore Singapore Eunice Olsen 22 Singapore
Sint Maarten Sint Maarten Angelique Romou 26 Philipsburg
Slovakia Slovakia Miroslava Kysucká 19 Bratislava
South Africa South Africa Heather Hamilton 22 Gauteng
South Korea South Korea Kim Yeon-joo 19 Seoul
Spain Spain Helen Lindes 18 Girona
Sweden Sweden Valerie Aflalo 23 Malmö
Switzerland Switzerland Anita Buri 21 Berg
Chinese Taipei Chinese Taipei Lei-Ann Chang 22 Taipei
Thailand Thailand Kulthida Yenprasert 21 Bangkok
Trinidad and Tobago Trinidad and Tobago Heidi Rostant 22 Port of Spain
Turks and Caicos Islands Turks and Caicos Clintina Gibbs 20 Cockburn Town
Ukraine Ukraine Natalie Shvachko 24 Dnipropetrovsk
United States United States Lynnette Cole 22 Columbia
Uruguay Uruguay Giovanna Piazza 18 Montevideo
Venezuela Venezuela Claudia Moreno 22 Caracas
Serbia and Montenegro Yugoslavia Lana Marić 19 Belgrade
Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Corinne Crewe 18 Harare

Notes

Withdrawals

  •  Austria – Simone Smrekar.
  •  Bonaire – No contest due to lack of Sponsorship.
  •  Barbados – No contest due to lack of Sponsorship Until 2003.
  •  Cook Islands – Miss Cook Islands 1999 and Miss South Pacific 1999, Liana Scott did not compete due to lack of Sponsorship.
  •  Curaçao – Miss Curaçao 2000, Jozaïne Wall, couldn't participate because she was underage. Jozaïne successfully sued the Miss Curaçao organization due to this issue and went to Miss World 2000 instead.[8]
  •  Guyana – No contest due to lack of Sponsorship.
  •  Nicaragua – No contest due to lack of Sponsorship.
  •  Northern Mariana Islands – Miss Northern Marianas International 1999, Michelle Boyer Sablan did not participate for undisclosed reasons.[9]
  •  Suriname – No contest held and they lost their Miss Universe licence.
  •  Turkey – Miss Turkey 2000, 1° Runner up Gamze Özçelik was replaced by Cansu Dere because Özçelik was underage at the time,[10] but Cansu Dere was forbidden by the Turkish Government to travel to the Miss Universe 2000 pageant in Cyprus, due to the current tense Turkish-Cypriot relationships over Northern Cyprus.
  •  United States Virgin Islands – No contest.
  •  Zambia – Sidonia Mwape – Due to lack of Sponsorship.
  • Both Venezuelan candidates placed second in their respective competitions to the candidates from India

Returns

Last competed in 1982

  •  Saint Martin

Last competed in 1996

  •  Denmark

Last competed in 1998

  •  Bulgaria
  •  Guam
  •  Netherlands
  •  Norway
  •  Zimbabwe

Awards

  •  Aruba - Miss Congeniality (Tamara Scaroni)
  •  Spain - Miss Photogenic (Helen Lindes)
  •  Mexico - Best National Costume (Letty Murray)

References

  1. ^ a b The event was televised live at 08:00 pm local time (UTC+03:00) in various broadcasters around the world. For the United States, it was tape delayed to make way for the primetime broadcast.
  2. ^ "Cyprus to host Miss Universe in millennium". Agence France Press. 1 July 1999.
  3. ^ Kambas, Michele (1 July 1999). "Cyprus to host Miss Universe next year-official". Reuters.
  4. ^ "Church and state feud over Miss Universe contest". Associated Press. 4 August 1999.
  5. ^ Coach, Media. "HOME". clarissaburt.com. Archived from the original on 22 April 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  6. ^ "Venezuela elects new representative to Miss Universe contest". Associated Press. 28 March 2000.
  7. ^ "2000 Miss Universe: Discover Cyprus & Meet the Judges". YouTube. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 23 January 2022.
  8. ^ "MU2K - Miss Universe 2000 Candidates". 12 October 2000. Archived from the original on 12 October 2000. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  9. ^ "NMBPA CONFIRMS Sablan out, Hill in - Saipan News, Headlines, Events, Ads - Saipan Tribune". www.saipantribune.com. 22 October 1999. Archived from the original on 26 July 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.
  10. ^ "MİLLİYET YAŞAM SAYFALARI". www.milliyet.com.tr. Archived from the original on 14 November 2018. Retrieved 11 April 2018.