Miss Universe Sheynnis Palacios and her runners-up. Image source: X @MissUniverse
Miss Universe: Who was runner-up to Sheynnis Palacios?
Meet the two runners-up who narrowly lost out to Miss Nicaragua, Sheynnis Palacios at the 72nd Miss Universe Pageant.
Miss Universe Sheynnis Palacios and her runners-up. Image source: X @MissUniverse
It was a night to remember at the José Adolfo Pineda Arena as Nicaragua’s Sheynnis Palacios was crowned as the 2023 Miss Universe. It was also a special occasion for the two runners-up who made their nations proud.
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It was a closely fought Miss Universe finale in El Salvador, where pageant winners from 84 nations competed for the grand crown. South Africans woke up to cheer on our entrant, Bryoni Govender, who served the nation proud as she placed in the top 20. In the end, Sheynnis Palacios emerged as this year’s winner and she could not hide her excitement.
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MEET THE MISS UNIVERSE RUNNERS-UP
It was also a special night for two young ladies from Thailand and Australia, respectively. Miss Thailand, Anntonia Porsild placed as first runner-up and went neck to neck with Palacios. The second runner-up was Moraya Wilson, the 22-year-old Miss Australia.
For Anntonia Porsild, it was a case of close but not quite close enough. The Thai activist impressed in every round of the pageant and came about as close as you can get to the crown without winning it. She was extremely graceful in “defeat” and had nothing but kind words for Miss Nicaragua’s Sheynnis Palacios.
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Moraya Wilson also served her nation proud on the night. By reaching the final three, she looked as if she might be able to bring Australia its first Miss Universe crown since 2004.
THE MOMENT SHEYNNIS PALACIOS WON
It was a pageantry masterclass by Sheynnis Palacios from start to finish. She excelled during every moment of the finale and made it a historic night for her nation by becoming the first-ever Nicaraguan to win Miss Universe.
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If you haven’t already seen it, you can relive the moment she won below:
