Miss Venezuela
Dayana Mendoza
wins Miss
Universe
Dayana Mendoza of Venezuela has been crowned Miss Universe 2008.
Once a kidnap victim She told the Miss Universe website: "I was once kidnapped in what in my country is known as an express kidnapping. It was a very hard experience.
"I learned to remain calm in a very stressful situation and to try to reach to the human part of our abductors."
The 22-year-old brunette
was given her crown, made of white and
yellow gold and precious stones, by last
year's winner, Riyo Mori of Japan, at
the pageant finale watched by nearly a
billion television viewers worldwide.
"I am excited. I cried a lot. I am really glad I made it," Mendoza, the 57th winner of the title, later told reporters.
The model and interior design student was among four finalists from Latin America, including first runner-up Taliana Vargas, 20, from Colombia.
