Puerto Rican Wins Miss Universe Crown

Boosted by a hometown advantage, Puerto Rican beauty queen Denise Quinones August won this year's Miss Universe crown Friday, a pageant held on her native island.

Pageant organizers said Quinones was the first Puerto Rican to win the contest on her own soil.

"I can't believe it," Quinones said. "I just felt really confident and that projected.''

Since Miss Universe began 50 years ago, 14 Latin American women have won the crown. Quinones becomes the 15th, and the fourth Puerto Rican.

In second place was Miss Greece, 22-year-old Evelina Papantoniou and in third place was Miss USA, 24-year-old Kandace Krueger. Miss Venezuela, 18-year-old Eva Ekvall was third runner-up and Miss India, 22-year-old Celina Jaitley was named fourth runner-up.

When asked by judges what one thing she would change about her life, the 20-year-old Quinones wearing a white evening gown with a plunging v-neck said all of her experiences had taught her something.

"I have no regrets," she said to cheers by the crowd.

A hip-thrusting performance by Puerto Rican crooner Ricky Martin introduced the competition.

The five women were taken from 10 semifinalists chosen from 77 contestants participating in this year's pageant.

The five semifinalists who were earlier eliminated in the pageant were Miss Spain, Eva Siso Casals; Miss Nigeria, Agbani Darego; Miss Israel, Ilanit Levi; Miss Russia, Oxana Kalandyrets; and Miss France, Elodie Gossuin.

Low marks in the swimsuit and evening gown competition eliminated the semifinalists. The judges can give the contestants one to 9.99 points.

For the swimsuit competition, judges look for physical fitness and grace on stage - a challenge while wearing platform heels. For the evening gown competition, the judges look at the style of the dress and how it matches the woman's personality.

Women can lose if they fall, or if one detail of their outfit is off, but it's up to the judges to decide if they want to penalize them.

Officials said the show, taking place on this U.S. territory in the Caribbean, was televised in more than 130 countries and territories.

The judges include salsa singer Marc Anthony, 1993 Miss Universe Dayanara Torres Muniz, and Kel Gleason, a contestant on the TV show "Survivor: The Australian Outback,'' among others.

Miss Universe 2001 wins a prize package worth about $250,000, plus other modeling and promotional contracts that usually follow.

Last year's pageant in Cyprus was won by Miss India Lara Dutta.