Miss Angola Crowned Miss Universe 2011!

There were a record 89 delegates that stepped onto the stage for the 60th Miss Universe pageant last night, the most since 2006 but only one could wear the crown.   Last night one of them did so in historic fashion.

For the first time since 1999, we have a winner from the African continent.

25 year old business student Leila Lopes from Angola won the 60th annual edition of the pageant that took place this year in Sao Paulo, Brazil    The 1.79 m  (5 feet 10.5 in for the metrically challenged ) beauty is the first African delegate to win the title since Mpule Kwelagobe of Botswana won it in 1999, the fourth African descended woman to do so and the second continental Black African to win.



The Miss Universe pageant powerhouses, the USA, Puerto Rico and Venezuela got their reps into the Top 16, but failed to advance into the Top 10.   It also extends the USA title drought.  Last time we won it was 1997 and I still argue the point that had either Rachel Smith or Crystle Stewart not fallen in back to back years, that USA pageant title drought would be over.

Frankly, I wasn't expecting Miss USA 2011  to get any further than that, wasn't feeling her.  Other Top 16 nations were Miss France, Miss Kosovo, Miss Colombia, Miss China, Miss Angola, Miss Australia, Miss Brazil, Miss Netherlands, Miss Ukraine, Miss Panama, Miss Costa Rica, Miss Portugal, and Miss Philippines.

I am surprised that Miss Venezuela nor Miss Puerto Rico advanced further

Top 10
Miss France, Miss China, Miss Angola, Miss Australia, Miss Brazil, Miss Ukraine, Miss Panama, Miss Costa Rica, Miss Portugal and Miss Philippines.

Top 5
Miss Angola, Miss Ukraine (1st runner up) Miss Brazil (2nd runner up), Miss Philippines (3rd runner up) Miss China (4th runner up)

For those of y'all who hate on pageants, peep what journalist Connie Chung had to say about her role as one of the Miss Universe 2011 judges.

“I know my job and I'll be tough, but fair,”she said. “You have to keep in mind that these women are not objects just to be looked at. They're to be taken seriously. I want to choose somebody I take seriously and the world takes seriously, too.”

When asked during the interview phase what physical trail she would change if she could, the new Miss Universe smoothly answered the question this way.

“Thank God I'm very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn't change a thing,” Lopes said “I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I intend to follow these for the rest of my life.”

Congratulations to the new Miss Universe 2011 queen Leila Lopes!.

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