Miss World 2008 was the 58th edition of the Miss World pageant, held at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, on 13 December 2008.

Zhang Zilin of China crowned Ksenia Sukhinova of Russia as her successor at the end of the event.[1][2] This is the second time Russia has won the title.

Background

Date and location

Originally, the pageant was going to take place in Kyiv, Ukraine, but because of the ongoing 2008 Russo-Georgian diplomatic crisis in neighbouring South Ossetia, the Miss World Organization decided to move the pageant away from Eastern Europe.[3]

Selection of participants

Replacements

Janina San Miguel was replaced by first Runner-up of Binibining Pilipinas, Danielle Castaño due to Janina's personal decision to give up her crown.[4]

Returns, and, withdrawals

This edition saw the return of Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Honduras, Portugal, Saint Lucia, Seychelles, Taiwan, Uruguay and Zambia; Seychelles, which last competed in 1999, Antigua and Barbuda, Egypt and Honduras in 2004, Taiwan in 2005 and Barbados, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Portugal, Saint Lucia, Uruguay and Zambia in 2006.

Estonia, Grenada, Macedonia, Nepal, Panama, Romania, Slovenia and Suriname, withdrew from the competition.

Results

Placements

Placement Contestant
Miss World 2008
1st Runner-Up
2nd Runner-Up
Top 5
Top 15

Continental Queens of Beauty

Winners were as follows:[5]

Continental Group Contestant
Africa
Americas
Asia & Oceania
Caribbean
Europe

Order of Announcements

Top 15

  1.  Russia
  2.  Mexico
  3.  Barbados
  4.  Iceland
  5.  Trinidad and Tobago
  6.  Venezuela
  7.  Ukraine
  8.  Croatia
  9.  Brazil
  10.  Angola
  11.  Kazakhstan
  12.  Puerto Rico
  13.  Spain
  14.  South Africa
  15.  India

Top 5

  1.  India
  2.  Trinidad and Tobago
  3.  Angola
  4.  Russia
  5.  South Africa

Contestants

Countries and territories which sent delegates and results for Miss World 2008 [2]

Miss World 2008 had a total of 109 contestants.[3]

CountryContestantAge[a]HometownRegional
AlbaniaEgla Harxhi[6]17TiranaEurope
AngolaBirgite dos Santos[7]18LuandaAfrica
Antigua and BarbudaAthina James18St. John'sCaribbean
ArgentinaAgustina Quinteros[8]18Santa RosaAmericas
ArubaChristina Trejo[9]20Tanki FlipCaribbean
AustraliaKatie Richardson[10]20Albion ParkAsia & Oceania
AustriaKathrin Krahfuss[11]23GrazEurope
BahamasTinnyse Johnson21NassauCaribbean
BarbadosNatalie Griffith[12]18BridgetownCaribbean
BelarusVolha Khizhynkova[13]21VitebskEurope
BelgiumAlizée Poulicek[14]21BrusselsEurope
BelizeCharmaine Chinapen21Belize CityAmericas
BoliviaJackelin Arias18Santa CruzAmericas
Bosnia and HerzegovinaTanja Vujičić18NevesinjeEurope
BotswanaItseng Kgomotso[15]19GaboroneAfrica
BrazilTamara Almeida23IpatingaAmericas
BulgariaJulia Yurevich19KozloduyEurope
CanadaLeah Ryerse20HamiltonAmericas
Cayman IslandsNicosia Lawson25George TownCaribbean
ChileNataly Chilet23SantiagoAmericas
ChinaMei Yan Ling[16]25DalianAsia & Oceania
ColombiaKatherine Medina18MedellínAmericas
Costa RicaAmalia Matamoros19NaranjoAmericas
CroatiaJosipa Kusić[17]20ZagrebEurope
CuraçaoNorayla Francisco[18]23WillemstadCaribbean
CyprusMari Vasileiou18LarnacaEurope
Czech RepublicZuzana Jandová[19]20KarvináEurope
Democratic Republic of the CongoChristelle Mbila[20]18KinshasaAfrica
DenmarkLisa Lents[21]21CopenhagenEurope
Dominican RepublicGeisha Montes De Oca21Santo DomingoCaribbean
EcuadorMarjorie Cevallos[22]22GuayaquilAmericas
EgyptSanaa Ismail Hamed[23]24AlexandriaAfrica
El SalvadorGabriela Gavidia18La LibertadAmericas
EnglandLaura Coleman22LeicesterEurope
EthiopiaHibret Fekadu18Addis AbebaAfrica
FinlandLinda Wikstedt19HelsinkiEurope
FranceLaura Tanguy[24]20AngersEurope
GeorgiaKhatuna Skhirtladze18TbilisiEurope
GermanyAnne Katrin Walter21Dahme-SpreewaldEurope
GhanaFrances Takyi-Mensah[25]22ElminaAfrica
GibraltarKrystel Robba22GibraltarEurope
GreeceAggeliki Kalaitzi[26]24ThessalonikiEurope
GuadeloupeFrédérika Charpentier23Basse-TerreCaribbean
GuatemalaMaribel Arana23Guatemala CityAmericas
GuyanaChrista Simmons23GeorgetownAmericas
HondurasGabriela Zavala23San Pedro SulaAmericas
Hong KongSkye Chan24Hong KongAsia & Oceania
HungarySzilvia Freire24BudapestEurope
IcelandAlexandra Ívarsdóttir[27]18ReykjavíkEurope
IndiaParvathy Omanakuttan[28][29]21KottayamAsia & Oceania
IndonesiaSandra Angelia Hadisiswantoro[30]22SurabayaAsia & Oceania
IrelandSinéad Noonan[31]21County MeathEurope
IsraelTamar Ziskind23HaifaAsia & Oceania
ItalyClaudia Russo[32]25MessinaEurope
JamaicaBrittany Lyons19KingstonCaribbean
JapanMizuki Kubodera[33]21KanagawaAsia & Oceania
KazakhstanAlfina Nassyrova[34]20AlmatyAsia & Oceania
KenyaRuth Kinuthia[35]22NairobiAfrica
LatviaIna Avlasēviča[36][37]20DobeleEurope
LebanonRosarita Tawil20BeirutAsia & Oceania
LithuaniaGabrielė Martirosianaitė18KaunasEurope
MalaysiaSoo Wincci[38]23SelangorAsia & Oceania
MaltaMartha Fenech18St. Julian'sEurope
MartiniqueÉlodie Delor18Fort-de-FranceCaribbean
MauritiusOlivia Carey[39]19VacoasAfrica
MexicoAnagabriela Espinoza[40]20MonterreyAmericas
MoldovaIana Varnacova17ChişinăuEurope
MongoliaChinbatyn Anun23Ulan BatorAsia & Oceania
MontenegroMariana Mihajlović18PlavnicaEurope
NamibiaMarelize Robberts[41]21WindhoekAfrica
NetherlandsCarmen Kool22ArnhemEurope
New ZealandKahurangi Taylor[42]18AucklandAsia & Oceania
NigeriaAdaeze Igwe[43]18AwkaAfrica
Northern IrelandJudith Wilson23EnniskillenEurope
NorwayLene Egeli[44]21StavangerEurope
ParaguayGabriela Rejala[45]19ÑembyAmericas
PeruAnnmarie Dehainaut[46]18LimaAmericas
PhilippinesDanielle Castaño[47]19Quezon CityAsia & Oceania
PolandKlaudia Ungerman20WysieradzEurope
PortugalAndreia Rodrigues24LisbonEurope
Puerto RicoIvonne Orsini[48]20BayamónCaribbean
RussiaKsenia Sukhinova[1]21TyumenEurope
Saint LuciaJoy-Ann Biscette22CastriesCaribbean
ScotlandStephanie Willemse[49]19GlasgowEurope
SerbiaNevena Lipovac19BelgradeEurope
SeychellesElena Angione22MahéAfrica
Sierra LeoneTyrilla Gouldson[50]24FreetownAfrica
SingaporeFaraliza Tan22SingaporeAsia & Oceania
SlovakiaEdita Krešáková[51]19SeňaEurope
South AfricaTansey Coetzee[52]23JohannesburgAfrica
South Korea[b]Choi Bo-in22SeoulAsia & Oceania
SpainPatricia Rodríguez[53]18Granadilla de AbonaEurope
Sri LankaRochelle Correa24ColomboAsia & Oceania
SwazilandTiffany Simelane[54]20MhlambanyatsiAfrica
SwedenJennifer Palm Lundberg22SigtunaEurope
Taiwan[c]Jamie Lin24TaichungAsia & Oceania
TanzaniaNasreen Karim[55]22MwanzaAfrica
ThailandUmmarapas Jullakasian[56]23NonthaburiAsia & Oceania
Trinidad and TobagoGabrielle Walcott[57]23Petit ValleyCaribbean
TurkeyLeyla Lydia Tuğutlu[58][59]19IstanbulEurope
UgandaDora Mwima18TororoAfrica
UkraineIryna Zhuravska[60]18KyivEurope
United StatesLane Lindell18TampaAmericas
UruguayFatimih Dávila20MontevideoAmericas
VenezuelaHannelly Quintero[61]23Ocumare del TuyAmericas
VietnamDương Trương Thiên Lý[62]19Đồng ThápAsia & Oceania
WalesChloe-Beth Morgan[63]22CwmbranEurope
ZambiaWinfridah Mofu19LusakaAfrica
ZimbabweCynthia Muvirimi[64]25HarareAfrica

Judges

Miss World 2008 contestants were judged based upon the criteria of glamour, beauty, intelligence and poise.[3][65] Some of the judges were representatives of the Miss World Organization.[3] Some of the contestants, such as Ksenia Sukhinova, communicated with the judges using a translator.[1] Judges for the event were:

  • Julia Morley – Chairwoman of the Miss World Organization.
  • Wilnelia Merced – Miss World 1975 from Puerto Rico
  • Aminurta Kang – Theatre stage director, China and North America
  • Krish Naidoo – International ambassador for Miss World
  • Pearl Luthuli – Group executive public commercial services SABC
  • Lindiwe Mahlangu – Chief executive of the Joburg Tourism Company
  • Precious Moloi-Motsepe – Chairperson of African Fashion International
  • Graham Cooke – President of World Travel

Notes

  1. ↑ Ages at the time of the pageant
  2. ↑ Competed as Korea in the pageant
  3. ↑ Also known as the Republic of China

Designations

Replacements

Withdrawals

  • Estonia – Due to lack of funding and sponsorship
  • Macedonia – Suzana Al-Salkini withdrew due to lack of funding and sponsorship, but she did compete the following year at Miss World 2009.
  •   Nepal – The organiser of the Miss Nepal pageant said it was postponing the contest scheduled for 23 August 2008 to an unknown date, after the Maoist women's wing, which has trained its sights on Miss Nepal, announced a Kathmandu Valley shutdown on the day to prevent the event.
  • Panama – Kathya Saldaña had problems with the regional organisation and didn't obtain a South African visa in time.
  • Romania – Due to lack of funding and sponsorship
  • Slovenia – Due to lack of funding and sponsorship
  • Suriname – Mireille Nederbiel was not allowed to compete in Miss World by the decision of pageant organizers.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Russian crowned Miss World 2008". ABC News. 14 December 2008. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 "Russian crowned as Miss World 2008". Daily Express. 14 December 2008. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Miss World 2008: She will not but who will be?". New Vision. 23 January 2016. Archived from the original on 27 February 2019. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  4. ↑ Rogers, Gregory (16 January 2016). "Janina San Miguel". Voice Observer. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  5. ↑ Russian crowned Miss World 2008 Archived 16 December 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ "Nuset e famshme shqiptare të Francës, Nga Liri Begeja te Egla Harxhi dhe Hueyda El Saied" [Famous Albanian Brides of France, From Liri Begeja to Egla Harxhi and Hueyda El Saied]. Fjala Albania (in Albanian). 5 October 2021. Archived from the original on 16 January 2022.
  7. ↑ "Lesliana Pereira tem tudo para fazer história no Miss Universo". Angola Press. Retrieved 22 May 2008.[permanent dead link]
  8. ↑ "La representante pampeana es Miss Internacional Argentina 08". Diario Panorama. 19 April 2008. Archived from the original on 23 April 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2008.
  9. ↑ "Miss Aruba". Archived from the original on 15 June 2013. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  10. ↑ Madden, James (10 April 2008). "Girl from the Gong to take on the world". The Australian. Archived from the original on 16 September 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2008.
  11. ↑ "Miss Austria Wahl 2008 im Magna Racino Ebreichsdorf (NÖ)". Wien-konkret. Archived from the original on 11 May 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2008.
  12. ↑ "Crowd pleasers". The Nation Newspaper. 17 September 2007. Archived from the original on 11 November 2007.
  13. ↑ ""Мисс Беларусь-2008" стала 21-летняя Ольга Хижинкова из Витебска". Archived from the original on 17 September 2009. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  14. ↑ "Blondine Alizée Poulicek is Miss België". Vrtnieuws.net. Archived from the original on 17 December 2007. Retrieved 15 December 2007.
  15. ↑ Mooketsi, Lekopanye (17 December 2007). "New Miss Botswana Pledges To Make A Difference". Mmegi. Archived from the original on 7 May 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2008.
  16. ↑ "Yan Ling Mei Gallery". Archived from the original on 17 August 2008. Retrieved 31 July 2008.
  17. ↑ "Javno - Moda i ljepota - VIDEO: Imo?anka Josipa Kusi? Je Miss Hrvatske". Archived from the original on 28 August 2008. Retrieved 8 July 2008.
  18. ↑ "JENIFEER MERCELINA KORONA KOMO MISS UNIVERSO KORSOU". Extra. 3 March 2008. Archived from the original on 23 September 2008. Retrieved 7 May 2008.
  19. ↑ "Miss České republiky 2008". Nova.cz. Retrieved 16 March 2008.
  20. ↑ "Christelle Mbila, miss RDC 2008". Radio Okapi. August 2008. Retrieved 4 August 2008.
  21. ↑ "Lisa Lents løj sig til Miss-titel" [Lisa Lents lied to get the Miss title]. Ekstra Bladet (in Danish). 13 October 2009. Archived from the original on 21 April 2025.
  22. ↑ "Miss Ecuador 2008". El Universo. Retrieved 14 March 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  23. ↑ "Miss Egypt 2008". AIPS media. Archived from the original on 15 November 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2008.
  24. ↑ "Miss France 2016 – Site officiel". tf1. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  25. ↑ Miss Ghana 2007/8
  26. ↑ "Λαμπερός 19ος Διαγωνισμός Ομορφιάς". Antenna TV. Archived from the original on 28 May 2008. Retrieved 27 May 2008.
  27. ↑ "Alexandra Helga valin ungfrú Ísland". MBL. Retrieved 30 May 2008.
  28. ↑ "Kareena Kapoor judges ethnic beauty pageant in Mumbai". The Times of India. 11 October 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  29. ↑ "Pantaloons Femina Miss India 2008". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2008.
  30. ↑ "Sandra Angelia Jadi Miss Indonesia 2008". Inilah. Archived from the original on 14 May 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2008.
  31. ↑ "Miss Ireland". Bebo. Archived from the original on 22 November 2008. Retrieved 21 June 2008.
  32. ↑ "Claudia Russo siciliana di Messina è la nuova Miss Mondo Italia 2008". Miss Mondo Italia. Archived from the original on 9 June 2008.
  33. ↑ "Miss World Japan goes for the crown". Japan Today.
  34. ↑ "Девушки бывают разные – Архив – Общественно-политическая газета "Время"". Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  35. ↑ Miss Kenya 2008 Archived 24 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  36. ↑ "Noteikti konkursa 'Mis un Misters Latvija 2006' uzvarētāji". TVNET Zinas. 27 February 2008. Archived from the original on 25 September 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
  37. ↑ Tiļļa, Andris (21 April 2018). "30 gadi kopš skaistumkonkursā "Mis Rīga". Latvijas šovbiznesa balvas, skandāli, izaicinājumi, etaloni" [30 years since the beauty contest "Miss Riga". Latvian show business awards, scandals, challenges, benchmarks]. LA.LV (in Latvian). Archived from the original on 1 April 2025. Retrieved 23 April 2025.
  38. ↑ "Law graduate crowned Miss World Malaysia 2008". Archived from the original on 7 December 2008. Retrieved 15 April 2018.
  39. ↑ "Plusieurs cordes à l'arc d'Olivia Carey". L'Express. Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
  40. ↑ "Elisa Nájera, Nuestra Belleza México". Milenio. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
  41. ↑ "Miss Namibia 2008". The Shebeen. Archived from the original on 9 January 2009. Retrieved 7 June 2008.
  42. ↑ "Student crowned Miss New Zealand". The New Zealand Herald. 5 May 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
  43. ↑ "Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria 2008". Silverbird Group. Archived from the original on 30 March 2008.
  44. ↑ Linn Sollied Madsen. "LENE EGELI, FRØKEN NORGE- Hun ble Frøken Norge". Nettavisen. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  45. ↑ "Anoche eligieron nuevas bellezas paraguayas 2008". ABC Digital. Retrieved 6 April 2008.[dead link]
  46. ↑ "ANNMARIE DEHAINAUT SE CORONÓ COMO MISS PERÚ WORLD 2008". Peru.com. 12 July 2008. Archived from the original on 13 July 2008.
  47. ↑ Pangilinan, Ed (10 March 2008). "UST alumna wins Bb. Pilipinas crown". The Manila Times. Archived from the original on 28 March 2008. Retrieved 8 May 2008.
  48. ↑ De San Juan la corona Archived 28 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  49. ↑ "Stunning Lisa takes second place at final". The Hamilton Advertiser. Retrieved 27 May 2008.
  50. ↑ Sesay, Babatunde (13 November 2008). "Miss Sierra Leone 2008 off to South Africa". The Patriotic Vanguard. Retrieved 28 July 2010.
  51. ↑ "Miss Slovensko 2008 je 19-ročná Edita Krešáková". Bleskovky. Retrieved 4 April 2008.
  52. ↑ Miss SA 2007 Archived 16 September 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  53. ↑ Miss Spain 2008 Archived 3 March 2008 at the Wayback Machine
  54. ↑ Miss Swaziland 2008/2009
  55. ↑ Miss Tanzania Past Winners
  56. ↑ ""Mim" to compete in Miss World 2008". Thai Post. Archived from the original on 14 August 2007. Retrieved 31 July 2007.
  57. ↑ "Miss Trinidad & Tobago 2007". Miss Trinidad & Tobago. Retrieved 24 February 2008.
  58. ↑ "İşte Türkiye'nin en güzel kızı". haberturk.com. 28 March 2008. Archived from the original on 16 December 2008. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  59. ↑ Üyesi, Onedio (13 February 2019). "Hepsi Zirveye Çıktı Ama Orada Kalamadı: Türkiye'nin Son 25 Yıldaki Türkiye Güzelleri Şimdi Ne Yapıyor?" [They All Reached the Top But Couldn't Stay There: What Are Türkiye's Beauties of the Last 25 Years Doing Now?]. Onedio (in Turkish). Archived from the original on 24 July 2024. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
  60. ↑ "Важно.ru". Retrieved 22 January 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  61. ↑ Miss World Venezuela 2008[permanent dead link]
  62. ↑ Anh, Y. (1 July 2024). "Dương Trương Thiên Lý dự thi Hoa hậu Thế giới 2008" [Dương Trương Thiên Lý competes in Miss World 2008]. Báo Người Lao Động (in Vietnamese). Archived from the original on 21 April 2025.
  63. ↑ "WalesOnline: News, sport, weather and events from across Wales". walesonline. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  64. ↑ Miss Tourism Zimbabwe 2007. All Africa.
  65. ↑ "Miss World 2008: Curtain raiser". The Times of India. 13 December 2008. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_World_2008