Stefania Fernandez of Venezuela was crowned Miss Universe 2009 in Nassau, the Bahamas, on Monday 24 August, competing against 84 other contestants in the 58th edition of the pageant.
The results
| Placing | Contestant | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | Stefania Fernandez | Venezuela |
| First runner-up | Ada Aimee de la Cruz | Dominican Republic |
| Second runner-up | Gona Dragusha | Kosovo |
Fernandez also took the Miss Elegance, Best Body and Best Face titles.
A Venezuelan succession
Fernandez, 18 at the time, became the sixth Venezuelan to win the crown. She was crowned by the outgoing titleholder Dayana Mendoza, also of Venezuela, who had won in 2008.
Back-to-back wins by the same country are rare in the pageant’s history, and the sequence underlined Venezuela’s long-standing record of producing winners.
Fernandez is of Russian, Ukrainian, Galician and Polish parentage, and competes in swimming and tennis.
The panel
A twelve-member jury judged the contest, including the actor Dean Cain, the supermodel Valeria Mazza, and André Leon Talley, editor-at-large of American Vogue.
India’s placing
Miss India Ekta Choudhary did not reach the top fifteen.
Frequently asked questions
Who won Miss Universe 2009?
Stefania Fernandez of Venezuela, crowned in Nassau on 24 August 2009.
How many contestants competed?
Fernandez competed against 84 other contestants in the 58th edition of the pageant.
Was this Venezuela’s first win?
No. Fernandez was the sixth Venezuelan winner, and she was crowned by the previous year’s Venezuelan titleholder.
This report dates from 2009.
