Miss Universe 1999
| Miss Universe 1999 |
| Date |
May 26, 1999 |
| Presenters |
Jack Wagner, Ali Landry and Julie Moran |
| Entertainment |
Julio Iglesias Jr |
| Venue |
Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago |
| Broadcaster |
CBS |
| Entrants |
84 |
| Placements |
10 |
| Debuts |
Botswana |
| Withdraws |
Bulgaria, Guam, Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Zimbabwe |
| Returns |
Austria, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Cook Islands, Guyana, Suriname, Turks & Caicos, Zambia |
| Winner |
Mpule Kwelagobe
Botswana |
| Congeniality |
Marisa Ferreira
Portugal |
| Best National Costume |
Nicole Simone Dyer
Trinidad & Tobago |
| Photogenic |
Brenda Liz Lopez
Puerto Rico |
Miss Universe 1999 was held at the Chaguaramas Convention Centre, Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago on May 26, 1999. Mpule Kwelagobe of Botswana was crowned as Miss Universe 1999 by Miss Universe 1998 Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad and Tobago. A record number of 84 contestants competed in the pageant. This record was broken in the Miss Universe 2006 contest with 86 contestants.
Results
Placements
| Final results |
Contestant |
| Miss Universe 1999 |
|
| 1st runner-up |
|
| 2nd runner-up |
|
| Top 5 |
|
| Top 10 |
|
Semifinal Scores
| Country |
Interview |
Swimsuit |
Evening Gown |
Average |
Top 5 Finalists |
| South Africa |
9.249 (2) |
9.325 (2) |
9.133 (7) |
9.236 (1) |
9.238 (5) |
| Venezuela |
9.230 (3) |
9.088 (6) |
9.388 (3) |
9.235 (2) |
9.349 (4) |
| Spain |
8.904 (7) |
9.338 (1) |
9.450 (1) |
9.231 (3) |
9.644 (1) |
| Botswana |
9.052 (5) |
9.188 (4) |
9.366 (4) |
9.202 (4) |
9.488 (2) |
| Philippines |
8.787 (9) |
9.325 (2) |
9.428 (2) |
9.180 (5) |
9.446 (3) |
| India |
9.275 (1) |
8.774 (10) |
9.160 (6) |
9.070 (6) |
| Mexico |
8.616 (10) |
9.143 (5) |
9.238 (5) |
8.999 (7) |
| Puerto Rico |
9.087 (4) |
8.800 (8) |
9.086 (8) |
8.991 (8) |
| Jamaica |
9.000 (6) |
8.875 (7) |
8.754 (9) |
8.876 (9) |
| Ghana |
8.850 (8) |
8.788 (9) |
8.683 (10) |
8.774 (10) |
|
- Winner
- First Runner-up
- Second Runner-up
- Top 5 Finalist
- Top 10 Semifinalist
- (#) Rank in each round of competition
|
Special Awards
Judges
Telecast Judges
Significant features
- This was the first time in pageant history that two black women won the title two years in a row. Miss Trinidad & Tobago Wendy Fitzwilliam won the previous year. The year also showed a strong showing for African delegates, being the first time ever to have 3 of the 10 semifinalists. Ghana (marking its first placement ever) placed in the top ten, South Africa in the top five, with Botswana winning the crown.
- Miss Guam, Tisha Elaina Heflin, was disqualified before the prelims for allegedly being pregnant. Although the Miss Guam Universe Organization reported she had fallen ill, she still made the records by becoming the first Miss Guam to ever pull out of the pageant.
- In light of the pageant controversy surrounding Miss Guam's disqualification due to a rumored pregnancy, Miss Botswana Mpule Kwelagobe's final question on the night of the live telecast was whether she thought a Miss Universe who became pregnant should be allowed to continue her reign. Mpule enthusiastically responded that a pregnant Miss Universe should not relinquish her crown, but instead " celebrate her femininity!". Her frank, effortless and spontaneous answer to this controversial question that stumped the two other finalists (Philippines and Spain) would meet with the approval of the audience, as evidenced by the applause she received, and would earn her the title that night.
- This was the first year since 1976 that a candidate from the USA failed to make the semifinals.
- As in the year previous, the candidates from South Africa, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and India also made it into the top 10.
- Miss Northern Marianas Cherilyn Cabrera is now one of the directors for the Miss Marianas Universe Pageant.
- The Philippines placed its highest since Margarita Moran's win in 1973.
Contestant notes
- The candidates for Miss Philippines (1st Runner-Up) and Miss Spain (2nd Runner-Up) were not the original winners of their national pageants. Miriam Quiambao was originally selected to compete at the 1999 Miss World Pageant, but was bumped up to the Universe title after the original winner, Janelle Bautista was dethroned. Diana Noguera was 4th in her national pageant but became the representative for her country because the winner, Lorena Bernal was 17, the 1st runner up, Carmen Fernández, couldn't go to Miss Universe because her father was seriously sick, and the 2nd runner up, Inma Nadal had to participate in Miss Europe.
- Miss Universe Title winner, Mpule Kwelagobe, was Botswana's first-ever candidate to compete at Miss Universe Pageant. She also represented her country in the 1997 Miss World Pageant.
- Miss Philippines candidate Miriam Quiambao tripped on the stage during the evening gown preliminaries but eventually got into the Top 3 and won the first runner-up title.
- Two contestants from Miss Universe 1999 are deceased. Russia, Alexandra Petrova was shot and killed in 2000 by an unidentified gunman in her apartment at the Volga River city of Cheboksary. Zambia, Esanju Kalopa was killed in a car accident in late October 2005.
Contestants
Replaced delegates
Trivia
- The Parade of Nations is similar to 1998's, except that the contestants wore their national costumes this time.
External links