Miss Nicaragua Crowned Miss Universe 2023

Miss Universe 2012, Olivia Culpo, and TV personalities Jeannie Mai Jenkins and Maria Menounos hosted the pageant on Saturday, while John Legend performed

The new Miss Universe won the coveted crown!

Miss Nicaragua was crowned Miss Universe 2023 on Saturday after a night of competition at the José Adolfo Pineda Arena in San Salvador, El Salvador.

IN a tense moment before the winner was announced, Miss Nicaragua, Sheynnis Palacios and Miss Thailand stood on stage with folded hands as the hall went dark, with the exception of the spotlight on the two finalists.

After a long silence in which both women waited with closed eyes for the winner to be announced, a voice was heard saying, “Nicaragua!”

Nova, 72, Miss Universe had an emotional reaction to her win, breaking down in tears and holding shaking hands to her face as the crowd cheered.

The evening culminated when last year’s winner, R’Bonney Gabriel, 29, handed Palacios her crown as she passed the Miss Universe title to her successor. Miss Australia took third place in the competition as second runner-up.

Miss Thailand Anntonia Porsild, Miss Australia Moraya Wilson and Miss Nicaragua Sheynnis Palacios in a row during the 72nd Miss Universe pageant on Saturday.

Hector Vivas/Getty

The Miss Universe pageant is removing the age limit — soon all women over the age of 18 will be able to compete

Palacios was the first Nicaraguan to win the title and the fifth time the country reached the semifinals.

IN post on X (formerly known as Twitter) the new Miss Universe celebrated her win by posting several pictures of herself wearing her new crown, along with the caption “Hello Universe,” in English as well as a message in Spanish stating that Nicaraguans made coronation history with her .

Another first night, Miss Universe 2012, Olivia Culpo and TV personalities Jeannie Mai Jenkins and Maria Menounos hosted the pageant, marking the first time the show was hosted by an all-female team.

John Legend also performed during the night, and his wife Chrissy Teigen shared a series of posts on her Instagram Story from her position in the audience at the event.

In addition, for the first time in its history, the pageant allowed married women and mothers to compete. The international competition also included two openly trans women, Marina Machete of Portugal and Rikkie Kollé of the Netherlands, according to CNN affiliate WLWT5.

John Legend performs during the 72nd Miss Universe pageant on November 18, 2023 in San Salvador, El Salvador.

Hector Vivas/Getty

The finalists went through four rounds of competition: evening dress, swimwear, personal statements and in-depth interviews.

Among the questions Palacios was asked: If you could live in the shoes of another woman for one year, who would you choose and why?

“I would choose Mary Wollstonecraft because she opened the gap and gave many women a chance,” she said through a translator, referring to the 18th-century British writer, philosopher and advocate for women’s rights.

Miss Philippines Michelle Marquez, Miss El Salvador Isabella García-Manzo, Miss Venezuela Diana Silva, Miss Australia Moraya Wilson and Miss Spain Athenea Paulinha.

Alex Pena/Getty

“And what I would do, I would like that income gap [to] open so that women can work in any field they want to work because there are no restrictions for women. It was in the 1750s. Now, in 2023, we are making history.”

Sheynnis, who was born in Managua, Nicaragua, made her pageant debut in 2016 when she won the title of Miss Teen Nicaragua. She won Miss World Nicaragua 2020 and represented her homeland at the Miss World 2021 pageant, where she placed among the top 40. The 23-year-old beauty graduated in mass communications and played college volleyball for Universidad Centroamericana.

Miss USA R’Bonney Gabriel crowned Miss Universe 2022

On Saturday, 84 delegates from around the world competed for the crown, but Noelia Voigt, this year’s Miss USA, failed to make the top 10 in the swimsuit competition.

Back in July, the author and childhood cancer survivor, who was also the first Venezuelan-American to be crowned Miss Utah, reflected on her Miss USA win in an interview with PEOPLE.

“Miss USA is a symbol of unity, diversity and inclusiveness,” Voigt told PEOPLE at the time. “If the United States is going to be called the land of opportunity and the place where you can live the American dream… Miss USA should be able to represent all of them.”

Miss USA Nolia Voigt.

Miss USA/Instagram

And last year’s competition went down in history. Gabriel was not only the first Filipina American to win the title, but also the first Miss USA to win Miss Universe in the 10 years since Culpo, 31, took the crown in 2012.

The fashion designer, model and sewing instructor from Texas also became one of the oldest to take the crown given the age restrictions, where contestants must be between 18 and 28 years old.

Miss Universe R’Bonney Gabriel isn’t bothered by haters and is focused on a passion for sustainable style

Gabriel also highlighted the age barrier during the pageant, saying she hopes Miss Universe will allow women over 28 to compete. (Earlier this year, organizers announced that starting in 2024, all women over the age of 18 would be eligible for the Miss Universe crown.)

“I’m 28 and that’s the oldest age to compete,” she said at one point during last year’s competition. “And I think that’s a wonderful thing.”

Jason Kempin/Getty

“My favorite quote is: ‘If not now, then when?’ ” continued Gabriel. “Because as a woman, I believe that age does not define us.”

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JKN Global Group bought Miss Universe for $20 million in October 2022, making its CEO, Anne Jakapong Jakrajutatip, the first female owner of the organization in its 72-year history.

The Thai businesswoman, who is also an advocate for transgender rights, outlined her plans for the organization in a press release announcing the deal, according to a previous Diversity report.

“We strive to not only continue his legacy of providing a platform to passionate individuals from diverse backgrounds, cultures and traditions, but also develop the brand for the next generation,” Jakrajutatip said at the time.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education