1995
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Miss World 1995
- an amalgam of news reports -

Miss Venezuela won the Miss World crown in a pageant marked by the withdrawal of Nigeria’s candidate over her country’s execution of nine dissidents.

Raven-haired Jacqueline Aguilera Marcano, 19, received the crown from 1994 winner Aishwarya Rai of India, concluding a glitzy two-hour show that organizers said was broadcast to millions of viewers in 80 countries.

Miss Croatia Anica Martinovic, 19, was first runner-up and Miss Trinidad and Tobago Michelle Khan, 23, was second runner-up.  Miss Korea Yun Yon Choe and Miss Israel Miri Bohadana were the other finalists in the pageant, the fourth Miss World competition held at the Sun City gambling resort.

The 84 women vying for the title were forced to contend with one of the biggest controversies in the pageant’s 45-year history - the withdrawal of Miss Nigeria, 23-year-old Toyin Raji.

Raji dropped out two days before the finals under pressure from the government of North West Province, where the pageant was held.  Officials said Raji should be expelled as a sign of solidarity with dissidents in Nigeria, following the Nov. 10 hangings of Nigerian writer Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight other activists.

Pageant officials reported receiving sabotage threats and said they could not jeopardize the competition.  On hearing of her departure, tearful contestants chose Raji as Miss Personality.

Marcano, a brown-eyed industrial relations student with ambitions to become a television anchorwoman, also won the Miss Photogenic award voted by the media.  The swimsuit she wore to accept the award was fuchsia, like the low-cut gown she wore at the crowning.

Asked during the competition what her one wish could be, Marcano replied in Spanish: “That the whole world continue together fighting for progress and to try to improve the world for the whole benefit of humanity.”

Her hobbies include reading and diving.

Christopher Lee, one of the judges and an actor known for his roles in horror films, praised Marcano as “an intelligent girl and very easy to talk to.”

“You need more in Miss World than just being a pretty face,” he said.  “You need to be an ambassador for your country every single day for a year.”

Marcano will receive official prizes of $78,000, holidays in Sun City, the Comoro Islands and Dubai, and all the cosmetics she can wear.  The title also brings lucrative sponsorships and entertainment possibilities.


France

United Kingdom & Ireland

Miss Personality
Nigeria

Mandela with Russia

 

1995 November 18
Sun City Entertainment Centre, South Africa
84 entries

Results
1  Venezuela  Jacqueline Maria Aguilera Marcano
       Queen of Americas
2  Croatia  Anica Martinovic
      Queen of Europe
3  Trinidad & Tobago  Michelle Khan
       Queen of Caribbean Isles 

Finalists
4  Israel  Miri Bohadana
5  Korea  Choi Yoon-young
       Queen of Asia & Oceania

Semi-finalists
Australia  Melissa Porter
Bolivia  Carla Patricia Morón Peña 
Bulgaria  Evgenia Kalkandzhieva
Mexico  Alejandra Aidee Quintero Velasco
South Africa  Bernelee Daniell
       Queen of Africa

Remainder
American Virgin Islands  Roshini Nibbs
Argentina  Maria Lorena Jensen
Aruba  Tessa Pieterz
Austria  Elizabeth Unfried
Bahamas  Loleta Marie Smith
Bangladesh  Yasmin Bilkis Sathi
Barbados  Rashi Holder
Belgium  Véronique De Kock
Bermuda  Renita Minors
Botswana  Monica Somolekae
Brazil  Elessandra Cristina Dartora
British Virgin Islands  Chandi Trott
Canada  Alissa Lehenki
Cayman Islands  Tasha Ebanks
Chile
 Tonka Tomicic Petric 
Colombia  Diana Maria Figueroa Castellanos
Costa Rica  Shasling Navarro Aguilar 
Curacao  Danique Regales
Cyprus  Isabella Giorgallou
Czech Republic  Katerina Kasalova 
Denmark  Tine Knudsen
Dominican Republic  Patricia Bayonet Robles 
Ecuador  Ana Fabiola Trujillo Parker
Estonia  Mari-Lin Poom
Finland  Terhi Koivisto
France  Hélène Lantoine
Germany  Isabell Brauer
Ghana  Manuela Medie
Gibraltar  Monique Chiara 
Greece  Maria Boziki
Guam  Joylyn Muñoz
Guatemala  Sara Elizabeth Sandoval Villatoro
Holland  Didie Schackman
Hong Kong  Shirley Chau Yuen-Yee
Hungary  Ildiko Veinbergen
India  Preeti Mankotia
Ireland  Joanne Black
Italy  Rosanna Santoli
Jamaica  Imani Duncan
Japan  Mari Kubo 
Latvia  Ieva Melina 
Lebanon  Julia Syriani
Lithuania  Gabriele Bartkuite
Macau  Geraldina Madeira da Silva Pedruco 
Malaysia  Trincy Low Ee Bing
New Zealand  Sarah Brady
Norway  Inger Lise Ebeltoft
Panama  Marisela Moreno Montero 
Paraguay  Patricia Serafini Geoghegan 
Peru  Paola Dellepiane Gianotti
Philippines  Reham Snow Tago
Poland  Ewa Jzabella Tylecka 
Portugal  Suzana Leitão Robalo
Puerto Rico  Swanni Quiñones Laracuente
Romania  Dana Delia Pintilie 
Russia  Yelena Bazina 
Seychelles  Shirley Low-Meng
Singapore  Jacqueline Chew 
Slovak Republic  Zuzana Spatinova
Slovenia  Teja Boskin
Spain  Candelaria Rodríguez Pacheco
Swaziland  Mandy Saulus
Sweden  Jeanette Mona Hassel
Switzerland  Stéphanie Berger
Tahiti  Timeri Baudry 
Taiwan  Hsu Chun-Chun
Tanzania  Emily Adolf Fred
Thailand  
Yasumin "Ja" Leautamornwattana
Turkey  Demet Sener
Ukraine  Nataliya Shvachiy
United Kingdom  Shauna Marie Gunn
U.S.A.
  Jill Ankuda
Zambia  Miryana Bujisic
Zimbabwe  Dionne Best

Awards
Miss Personality  Nigeria
Miss Photogenic  Venezuela
Best National Costume  Croatia
Best Formal Evening Dress  Ghana
Best Beachwear  Israel

Withdrew
Nigeria  Toyin Enitan Raji (forced for political reasons to withdraw a few hours after being given the Miss Personality award)


Finland
 

Bahamas with pageant host Richard Steinmetz, a soap opera actor

New Zealand

United Kingdom

Finland, Hong Kong & Mexico

Trinidad & Tobago (2nd runner-up), Venezuela (winner) & Croatia (1st runner-up)
Cross-references to some of the other pageants

Belgium  Universe 1996
Bolivia
  Latin America 1994 (semi-finalist), South American Queen 1996 & Nuestra Belleza 1997
Cayman Islands
 Universe 1996
Chile
  South American Queen 1996 (1st runner-up) & Atlantico 1999 (winner)
Costa Rica
  Banana 1990 & Hispanidad 1991
Gibraltar
  Tourism Int'l 1996 & Globe 1997
Guam
  Universe 1998
Guatemala
  Int'l Queen of Coconut 1995 & Coffee 1996
India
 International 1991 (semi-finalist)
Ireland  Universe 1996 & Europe 1996
Japan 
Asia Pacific 1996 (semi-finalist)
Lebanon 
Universe 1996
Macau
  Chinese Int'l 1996
Malaysia
 Universe 1997
New Zealand  Universe 1996
Nigeria (withdrew)  Universe 1995
Norway
 Universe 1996
Panama  Banana 1996 (1st runner-up)
Paraguay
  Banana 1995 (3rd runner-up) & South American Queen 1995 (3rd runner-up)
Peru
 Universe 1995
Poland
Globe 1998
Romania
  Tourism Int'l 1996 (Miss Personality)
Russia
  Globe 1996
Switzerland 
Universe 1996
Tahiti
  Intercontinental 1996 (winner)
Trinidad & Tobago
 Nuestra Belleza 1994 (2nd runner-up), Int'l Queen of Coconut 1997 (1st runner-up) & Universe 1996
Ukraine
  Europe 1994 (2nd runner-up)
United Kingdom
  International-Britain 1996