Miss Venezuela Stefania Fernandez Wins 2009 Miss Universe Contest

Miss Universe 2009, the 58th Miss Universe pageant was held at the Atlantis Paradise Island, in Nassau, Bahamas on August 23, 2009. It made history when an outgoing queen crowned her successor from the same country, Stefanía Fernández, Miss Venezuela, was crowned Miss Universe 2009 by outgoing titleholder Dayana Mendoza of Venezuela. 83 countries and territories competed for the title and the pageant will broadcast live on NBC and Telemundo.

The presentation show, rehearsals, dress rehearsal and the grand final took place at the Imperial Ballroom, in the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort.

This evening, during one of the year’s most exciting live international television events, a star-studded panel of judges chose Miss Venezuela, Stefania Fernandez, as MISS UNIVERSE 2009 live from Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas.
Miss Venezuela, Stefania Fernandez, is 18-years-old and she is interested in International Relations. The judging panel for the 2009 Miss Universe Pageant included: Dean Cain, actor and producer best known for his TV portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman; Colin Cowie, author/television personality/designer to the stars; Gerry DeVeaux, award-winning producer, songwriter and style guru; Farouk Shami, Founder and Chairman of CHI Hair Care; Heather Kerzner, Ambassador for Kerzner International and their resorts, including Atlantis, Paradise Island; Richard LeFrak, Chairman, President and CEO, LeFrak Organization; George Maloof Jr., professional sports mogul and hotelier; Valeria Mazza, international supermodel; Matthew Rolston, leading photographer and director; Andre Leon Talley, award-winning writer and editor; Tamara Tunie, actress, "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit;" and Keisha Whitaker, fashion maven and founder of the Kissable Couture lip gloss line.

Throughout the two-hour event, contestants from over 80 countries and territories around the world competed in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and personality interview. Dayana Mendoza, Miss Universe 2008, crowned her successor at the conclusion of the two-hour primetime telecast before an estimated worldwide viewing audience of approximately one billion viewers.

Final Results:
First Runner-Up: Miss Domincan Republic, Ada Aimee De La Cruz; will assume the duties of MISS UNIVERSE 2009 if the titleholder for some reason cannot fulfill her responsibilities. Second Runner-Up: Miss Kosovo, Gona Dragusha.

Rest of Top Five: Miss Australia, Rachael Finch; Miss Puerto Rico, Mayra Matos Perez.

Rest of Top Ten: Miss South Africa, Tatum Keshwar; Miss Czech Republic, Iveta Lutovska; Miss Switzerland, Whitney Toyloy; Miss USA, Kristen Dalton; and Miss France, Chloe Mortaud.

Rest of Top Fifteen: Miss Albania, Hasna Xhukici; Miss Belgium, Zeynep Sever; Miss Croatia, Sarah Cosic; Miss Iceland, Ingibjorg Egilsdottir; and Miss Sweden, Renate Cerljen.

Miss Photogenic Universe™ Award: Miss Thailand, Chutima Durongdej. The general public voted on www.nbc.com for the delegate who exemplifies beauty through the lens of a camera. She was awarded a $1,000 cash prize and a gift from pageant sponsor Diamond Nexus Labs.

Miss Congeniality Universe™ Award: Miss China, Wang Jingyao. This award reflects the respect and admiration of the delegate’s peers, who voted for her as the most congenial, charismatic and inspirational participant. She was awarded a $1,000 cash prize and a gift from Diamond Nexus Labs.

The MISS UNIVERSE 2009 prize package includes: the Miss Universe tiara and jewelry designed by Diamond Nexus Labs; a two year scholarship from the New York Film Academy worth more than $100,000 dollars to its acting or film-making programs; an eveningwear wardrobe from Carlos Alberto; a custom swimsuit wardrobe from BSC Swimwear Thailand; a shoe collection from Nina

Footwear; an assortment of Luxe Collection video cameras from DXG USA; a six-day/five-night vacation for two at Atlantis, Paradise Island, Bahamas with air travel accommodations by JetBlue Airways; a year-long supply of Farouk Systems products, makers of CHI, the original Ceramic Technology tools; a Skype kit featuring a laptop computer, webcam, speakers and a one-year Unlimited World plan to talk to friends and family; membership to Gravity Fitness and pampering at John Barrett Salon; a fashion portfolio by leading fashion photographer Fadil Berisha; dermatology and skincare services by Dr. Cheryl Thellman-Karcher; consultations with personal stylist Billie Causieestko and access to an event wardrobe from leading fashion designers; a New York City apartment for the year of her reign including living expenses and professional representation by the Miss Universe Organization to further her personal and professional goals.

Courtesy - 2009 Miss Universe L.P., LLLP

STEFANIA FERNANDEZ Miss Universe 2009

Birth name - Stefanía Fernández Krupij

Birthdate - September 4, 1990 (1990-09-04) (age 18)
Birth location - Mérida, Mérida State, Venezuela
Height - 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Eye color - Brown
Hair color - Brown

STEFANIA FERNANDEZ Krupij, is Miss Universe 2009, from Mérida, Venezuela; she represented her country, Venezuela, in the Miss Universe 2009 pageant in the Bahamas. Fernández won the Miss Venezuela 2008 title in a pageant held in Caracas, Venezuela on September 10, 2008. She was crowned by the outgoing titleholder, Dayana Mendoza, Miss Venezuela 2007 and Miss Universe 2008. Fernández also won the "Miss Elegance", "Best Body" and "Best Face", titles.

She became the second Miss Trujillo to win that title since the Miss Venezuela pageant first began in 1952. The first was Bárbara Palacios, Miss Venezuela 1986 and Miss Universe 1986. Stefanía is of Spanish Galician, Russian, Ukrainian, and Polish origin; she practices tennis and swim. Her mother is Nadia Krupij Holojad and her father is Carlos Fernández, who was kidnapped in 2005 in Barinas, Venezuela, for five days.

Usain Bolt set new world record

Usain Bolt will be in quest of to complete the 12th IAAF World Championships run double when he runs in the 200 metres final at the Berlin Olympic Stadium today

Usain Bolt in the starting blocks before his 150 metres world top run of 14.35 seconds.

Bolt started the season competing over 400 metres in order to improve his speed, winning two races and registering 45.54 s in Kingston, and windy conditions gave him his first sub-10 second finish in the 100 m in March. In late April Bolt suffered minor leg injuries in a car crash. However, he quickly recovered following minor surgery and (after cancelling a track meet in Jamaica) he stated that he was fit to compete in the 150 metres street race at the Manchester Great City Games. Bolt won the race in 14.35 s, the fastest time ever recorded for 150 m. Despite not being at full fitness, he took the 100 and 200 m titles at the Jamaican national championships, with runs of 9.86 s (a world-leading time) and 20.25 s respectively. This meant he had qualified for both events at the 2009 World Championships. Rival Tyson Gay suggested that Bolt's 100 m record was within his grasp, but Bolt dismissed the claim and instead noted that he was more interested in Asafa Powell's return from injury. Bolt defied unfavourable conditions at the Athletissima meet in July, running 19.59 seconds into a 0.9 m/s headwind and rain, to record the fourth fastest time ever over 200 m, one hundredth off Gay's world-leading time.

At the 2009 World Championships in August, Bolt eased through the 100 m heats, clocking the fastest ever pre-final performance of 9.89 seconds. The final was the first time Bolt and Gay had met in the season, and the American ran 9.71 s, 0.02 s off Bolt's 9.69 s world record run in Beijing. However, Bolt finished some distance ahead of Gay, improving the world record to 9.58 s to win his first World Championship gold medal. Taking over a tenth of a second off the previous best mark, this was the largest ever margin of improvement in the 100 m world record since the beginning of electronic timing.