Colours Of Miss Universe 2011

Colours Of Miss Universe 2011

On Monday, September 5, 2011, Miss Angola, Leila Lopes, became Miss Universe 2011. She is the first Angolan to become the Queen of the Universe. Crowned by last year’s winner, Ximena Navarrete, in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the African Queen was particularly charming in her smile and confidence in answering questions. She wore a stunning strapless gold and silver gown adorned with feathers.
The 25-year-old Lopes who is a business student stunned the judges by her brilliant answers to their questions during the interview session. She emerged one of the top five contestants on the final list, but won the preeminent position when she gave her answer to the question about what physical trait she would change if she could. “Thank God I’m very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn’t change a thing,” Lopes said. “I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I intend to follow these for the rest of my life. I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty.”
She further told the press that she has never had cosmetic surgery of any kind and that her three tips for beauty were to get a lot of sleep, use sun block even when it is not sunny, and to drink lots of water. She said her smile was her best weapon in the competition.
Questioned about racism in the light of the fact that she is one of the few blacks ever crowned Miss Universe, Lopes said that “any racist needs to seek help. It’s not normal in the 21st century to think in that way.”
She hopes her victory will help her to assist her native Angola further escape its history of war and impoverishment and she plans to focus on combating HIV around the globe. Lopes, who said she has done a lot to help her country as Miss Angola, also said she would be able to do more as Miss Universe. “I’ve worked with various social causes. I work with poor kids, I work in the fight against HIV. I work to protect the elderly and I have to do everything that my country needs. I think now as Miss Universe, I will be able to do much more,” she said.
Miss Ukraine, Olesia Stefanko, came in as first runner-up. The 23-year-old brunette was the first woman representing Ukraine to place this high in the Miss Universe competition. Brazil’s Priscila Machado, was the second runner-up. She was greeted with loud cheers from her hometown crowd, and she thanked them with several air kisses. Miss Philippines, Shamcey Supsup, who placed third runner-up at the pageant, gave a definitive no when the judge, Vivica A. Fox, asked her if she would change her religion for the man she loved.
Miss China 2011, Luo Zilin, was a favourite going into the competition. She made it into the top five, but placed as fourth runner-up after an odd answer during the question portion. When asked about her thoughts regarding public nudity, Zilin said through a translator, “Every country has its rules and regulations. We should respect them and be more understanding.”