Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua was crowned the 2023 Miss Universe at the culmination of the annual beauty pageant, which took place in El Salvador’s capital, San Salvador.
Thailand’s Anntonia Porsild emerged as the first runner-up.
Sheynnis Palacios previously competed as a representative of Nicaragua in the 2021 Miss World pageant and the 2017 Teen Miss Universe pageant, where she placed in the top 10.
Judges this year included Halima Aden, Carson Kressley, Avani Gregg, and two previous Miss Universe winners: Janelle Commissiong of Trinidad & Tobago (Miss Universe 1977) and Iris Mittenaere of France (Miss Universe 2016). The winners of 84 countries’ national pageants competed at this year’s Miss Universe.
At the start of the evening’s events, twenty semi-finalists were revealed based on the outcomes of the preliminary competition (as well as a global fan vote). The first “curvy” competitor to go to the semifinals of the pageant, Miss Nepal, and the first competitor to select a burkini as their swimwear, Miss Pakistan, were eliminated when the field was reduced to ten. The number of participants was once again halved for the evening gown round.
After two rounds of heated question and answer sessions, only three women remained in the running: Sheynnis Palacios, Anntonia Porsild, and Australia’s Moraya Wilson, who came in second place.
Source: Ghana/MaxTV/MaxFM/max.com.gh/Belinda Quansah
