Jimena Navarrete from Guadalajara was crowned Miss Universe on Monday evening, becoming only the second Mexican to win the coveted title.
Not considered one of the pre-pageant favorites, Navarrete, 22, beat the representatives from Jamaica and Australia into second and third places at the contest at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas. Over 80 countries were represented in total.
Although Navarrete answered her final question about children using the Internet through an interpreter, she still managed to impress the judges, most of whom were U.S. actors.
She said: "I do believe that the internet is an indispensable, necessary tool for the present time. We must be sure to teach them (children) the values that we learned as a family."
President Felipe Calderon was one of the first to congratulate Navarrete, releasing a statement reading, "Her triumph is a source of pride and satisfaction for all Mexicans, who see in her the fruits of perseverance."
"You will serve the image of our Mexico very well," wrote first lady Margarita Zavala on Twitter.
The 1.74 meters tall Aquarius, born on February 22, studied at the Instituto de Veracruz and Cervantes Costa Rica before starting a degree in nutrition at Guadalajara's UNIVA.
Former teachers have told the Guadalajara press that Navarrete was a bright, socially responsible student.
Prior to the beauty contest, Navarrete was planning to go back and complete her degree but that now seems unlikely, at least for now.
As well as prizes of beauty products and clothes, Navarrete also won a one-year scholarship to the New York Film Academy, the right to use a luxurious New York apartment for a year and an undisclosed salary.
A year traveling the world helping to raise the profile of sufferers from AIDS and HIV is now on Navarrete's agenda and she will have to give speeches to increase awareness of breast cancer too.
Aside from the duties of her year as Miss Universe, opportunities are likely to be forthcoming from all corners. The last Mexican to win the Miss Universe title, Lupita Jones in 1991, is still a celebrity today.
Navarrete first modelled when she was 16 years old and quickly took to it. She participated in campaigns for companies such as Liverpool, Sears, Modama, Rexona, among others. Navarrete has always had the support of her family, she says, although they insisted that she also studied as a back-up plan.
Navarrete earned the right to represent Mexico after winning the Nuestra Belleza Jalisco pageant in 2009. She followed her local success by taking the Nuestra Belleza Mexico crown later in the year.
Women from Jalisco are famous in Mexico for their eyes, thanks in large part to Jorge Negrete's classic song "Ojos Tapatios." Monday night, the eyes of the world were on the Tapatia and a new local superstar was born.
Less than 24 hours after the contest, the number of people supporting Navarrete on Facebook shot up to almost 50,000 and she now has almost 40,000 followers on Twitter.
"I'm in shock," wrote Navarrete on her Facebook page. "That's all I can say. This is for Mexico."
The Miss Universe pageant is owned by property developer Donald Trump and NBC and was broadcast live from the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas.
See also:
Mexican creativity helped Jimena sparkle
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
