With the 69th edition of Miss Universe i.e. Miss Universe 2020 being a week away from its coronation night to be held at the Seminole Hard Rock Casino and Resort in Florida USA, here is a throwback to the wins by host delegates in the Miss Universe history.
Over the past seven decades, there have been seven winners who won the Miss Universe crown as host delegates, out of which, USA holds six wins and Puerto Rico holds one.
Miss Universe 1954 Miriam Stevenson
Miriam Jacqueline Stevenson, now 87, is an American television host, actress, and former model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe 1954 and was the first American to win the title. Miss Universe 1954, the 3rd Miss Universe pageant, was held on 24 July 1954 at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California, United States where 21-year-old Miriam, the host delegate was crowned winner.
Miss Universe 1956 Carol Morris
Carol Ann Laverne Morris, now 85, is an American actress, model and beauty queen won the Miss Universe title in the pageant's fifth edition in 1956. Miss Universe 1956, the 5th Miss Universe pageant, was held on 20 July 1956 at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California, United States where the 19-year-old Carol Morris was the second American representative to win the contest, also being the host delegate.
Miss Universe 1960 Linda Bement
Miss Universe 1960, the 9th Miss Universe pageant, was held on 9 July 1960 at the Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida, United States. Linda Bement of United States became another host delegate to win the crown. Linda Jeanne Bement was an American model and beauty queen who became the third Miss USA to be crowned Miss Universe. She died of natural causes in 2018, at her home in Salt Lake City at the age of 76.
Miss Universe 1967 Sylvia Hitchcock
Sylvia Louise Hitchcock-Carson was crowned Miss Universe 1967, the 16th Miss Universe pageant, that was held on 15 July 1967 at the Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida, United States. She was an American model and beauty queen who won the fourth crown for USA as a host delegate. Sylvie resided in Florida until her death from cancer in 2015, aged 69 years old.
Miss Universe 1997 Brook Mahealani Lee
Brook Antoinette Mahealani Lee, now 50, known as Brook Lee, is an American actress, television host, model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Universe 1997. Miss Universe 1997, the 46th Miss Universe edition, was held on May 16, 1997 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida, United States. She won the crown as the host delegate at 26 years and became the oldest Miss Universe to win.
Miss Universe 2001 Denise Quiñones
Miss Universe 2001, the 50th Miss Universe pageant, was held on 11 May 2001 at the Coliseo Rubén Rodríguez in Bayamón, Puerto Rico. Host delegate, Denise Quiñones was crowned the winner at the end of the event. Denise, now 40, is a Puerto Rican actress, model and beauty queen. In 2018, Quiñones was named as the new pageant director for Miss Universe Puerto Rico.
Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo
Olivia Frances Culpo is an American fashion influencer and social media personality who was crowned as the Miss Universe for the year 2012. Miss Universe 2012, the 61st Miss Universe pageant, was held on 19 December 2012 at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. Olivia Culpo was the last queen to win the crown as the host delegate for USA and also otherwise.
The 69th Miss Universe pageant, i.e. Miss Universe 2020 has begun and is all set to crown a new queen in a week in USA once again. With USA having the most wins as a host country, this year’s expectations lie on Asya Danielle Branch, who is representing the host country at the pageant to bring home the crown. She is very strong and focused towards winning the title of Miss Universe 2020.
Asya believes that it is an opportunity and a platform for her to serve as an example for young girls like her who aspire to dream but never have someone to look up to. She mentioned that when she looks back to the time when African-American women were not allowed to participate in the beauty competition to the time now when she a woman of color is holding onto the crown and will be representing the country of the USA at Miss Universe 2020 stage; she feels happy and looking at the progress she feels that there is a long way to go more.
The 69th edition of Miss Universe i.e., Miss Universe 2020 will be held on 16th May 2021 at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, the United States where Asya and many stunning divas from all over the world will compete for the coveted crown. Miss Universe 2019 Zozibini Tunzi from South Africa will crown her successor at the end of the grand coronation event.