Miss Universe 1969

Last updated
Miss Universe 1969
Abreu Sodre-Miss Universo e misses II (1969) (cropped).jpg
Gloria Diaz
Date19 July 1969
Presenters
Venue Miami Beach Auditorium, Miami Beach, Florida, United States
Broadcaster CBS (WTVJ)
Entrants61
Placements15
Withdrawals
  • Haiti
  • Lebanon
  • Okinawa
  • South Africa
  • United States Virgin Islands
ReturnsSuriname
Winner Gloria Diaz
Philippines
CongenialityZohra Boufaden (Tunisia)
Best National Costume Sangduen Manwong (Thailand)
PhotogenicCarole Robinson (New Zealand)
  1968
1970  

Miss Universe 1969 was the 18th Miss Universe pageant, held at the Miami Beach Auditorium in Miami Beach, Florida, United States on 19 July 1969.

Contents

At the conclusion of the event, Martha Vasconcellos of Brazil crowned Gloria Diaz of the Philippines as Miss Universe 1969. It is the second victory of the Philippines in the history of the pageant. [1]

Contestants from sixty-one countries and territories competed in this edition. The pageant was hosted by Bob Barker, while June Lockhart provided commentary throughout the competition.

Background

Selection of participants

Contestants from sixty-one countries and territories were selected to compete in the pageant. One candidate is appointed to represent her country to replace the original dethroned winner.

Replacements

Miss Malaysia 1969, Sabrina Loo, chose not to compete due to personal reasons and was replaced by her first runner-up, Rosemary Wan. [2] [3] However, following the announcement of the Far East Beauty Congress that Wan would be sent to Miami instead of Loo, Loo expressed her dissatisfaction and protested the decision. [4] [5] The congress stated that it was too late for Loo to change her mind, resulting in Wan representing Malaysia at Miss Universe. [6] [7]

Debuts, returns, and withdrawals

This edition saw the return of Suriname which last competed in 1966. Miss Lebanon 1968, Lily Bissar, was disqualified for being underage. [8] [9] Haiti, Okinawa, South Africa, and the United States Virgin Islands withdrew after their respective organizations failed to hold a national competition or appoint a delegate.

Results

Miss Universe 1969 participating countries and territories Miss Universe 1969 Map.PNG
Miss Universe 1969 participating countries and territories

Placements

PlacementContestant
Miss Universe 1969
1st runner-up
  • Flag of Finland.svg Finland – Harriet Eriksson [10]
2nd runner-up
  • Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia – Joanne Barret [10]
3rd runner-up
  • Flag of Israel.svg Israel – Chava Levy [10]
4th runner-up
  • Flag of Japan.svg Japan– Kikuyo Osuka [10]
Top 15

Special awards

AwardContestant(s)
Miss Amity
  • Flag of Tunisia.svg Tunisia – Zohra Boufaden [13]
Miss Photogenic
  • Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand – Carole Robinson [14]
Best National Costume
Top 10 Best in Swimsuit

Pageant

Format

Same with 1966, fifteen semi-finalists were chosen at the preliminary competition that consists of the swimsuit and evening gown competition. Each of the fifteen semi-finalists were individually interviewed by Bob Barker. Following the interviews, the fifteen semi-finalists participated in the swimsuit and evening gown competitions. From fifteen, five contestants were shortlisted to advance to the final interview. [15]

Selection committee

Contestants

Miss Universe 1969 finalists in Brazil with Miss Brazil on the right side. Abreu Sodre-Miss Universo e misses II (1969).jpg
Miss Universe 1969 finalists in Brazil with Miss Brazil on the right side.

Sixty-one contestants competed for the title.

Country/TerritoryContestantAge [a] Hometown
Flag of Argentina.svg Argentina Lidia Pepe23 Corrientes
Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1959-1986).svg Aruba Jeannette Geerman [18] 21 San Nicolaas
Flag of Australia (converted).svg Australia Joanne Barret [19] 19 Sydney
Flag of Austria.svg Austria Eva Rueber-Staier [20] 18 Styria
Flag of the Bahamas (1953-1964).svg Bahamas Joan Bowe [21] 21 Georgetown
Flag of Belgium (civil).svg Belgium Danièle Roels [22] 19 Hainaut
Flag of Bermuda.svg Bermuda Maxine Bean [23] 20 Hamilton
Flag of Bolivia.svg Bolivia Luz María Rojas [24] 21 Cochabamba
Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1986-2010).svg Bonaire Julia Nicolaas [25] 23 Kralendijk
Flag of Brazil (1968-1992).svg Brazil Vera Fischer [26] 18 Blumenau
Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg Canada Jacquie Perrin 20 Toronto
Flag of Ceylon (1951-1972).svg Ceylon Marlene Beverly Seneveratne [27] 24 Colombo
Flag of Chile.svg Chile Mónica Larson [28] 25 Santiago
Flag of Colombia.svg Colombia Margarita Reyes [29] 19 Cali
Flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1966-1971).svg Congo-Kinshasa Jeanne Mokomo [30] 16 Kinshasa
Flag of Costa Rica.svg Costa Rica Clara Freda Antillón18 San José
Flag of the Netherlands Antilles (1986-2010).svg Curaçao Yvonne Wardekker [31] 21 Willemstad
Flag of Denmark.svg Denmark Jeanne Perfeldt [32] 21 Copenhagen
Flag of the Dominican Republic.svg Dominican Republic Rocío García18 Samaná
Flag of Ecuador (1900-2009).svg Ecuador Rosana Vinueza [33] 20 Guayaquil
Flag of England.svg England Myra Van Heck [34] 22 London
Flag of Finland.svg Finland Harriet Eriksson [35] 22 Turku
Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg France Agathe Cognet [22] 24 Paris
Flag of Greece (1822-1978).svg Greece Irene Diamantoglou18 Athens
Flag of Guam.svg Guam Anita Johnston [36] 18 Hagåtña
Flag of the Netherlands.svg Holland Welmoed Hollenberg [37] 21 Amsterdam
Flag of Honduras (1949-2022).svg Honduras Viena Paredes [38] 18 Choluteca
Flag of Hong Kong (1959-1997).svg Hong KongChristine Tam18 Hong Kong
Flag of Iceland.svg Iceland María Baldursdóttir22 Reykjanesbær
Flag of India.svg India Kavita Bhambani [39] 18 Bombay
Flag of Ireland.svg Ireland Patricia Byrne [40] 25 Dublin
Flag of Israel.svg Israel Chava Levy [41] 19 Haifa
Flag of Italy.svg Italy Diana Coccorese [42] 23 Rome
Flag of Jamaica.svg Jamaica Carol Gerrow [43] 23 Kingston
Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg Japan Kikuyo Osuka [44] 18 Aichi
Flag of Luxembourg.svg Luxembourg Marie Antoniette Bertinelli18 Esch-sur-Alzette
Flag of Malaysia.svg Malaysia Rosemary Wan [7] 20 Petaling Jaya
Flag of Malta.svg Malta Natalie Quintana20 Gżira
Flag of Mexico (1934-1968).svg Mexico Gloria Hernández [45] 20 Guanajuato
Flag of New Zealand.svg New Zealand Carole Robinson [46] 22 Auckland
Flag of Nicaragua (1908-1971).svg Nicaragua Soraya Herrera18 Tipitapa
Flag of Norway.svg Norway Pia Walker20 Oslo
Flag of Peru.svg Peru María Julia Mantilla [47] 19 Trujillo
Flag of the Philippines (navy blue).svg Philippines Gloria Diaz [48] 18 Parañaque
Flag of Puerto Rico (1952-1995).svg Puerto Rico Aída Betancourt [49] 18 Río Piedras
Flag of Scotland.svg Scotland Sheena Drumond [50] 18 Coatbridge
Flag of Singapore.svg Singapore Mavis Young [51] 18 Singapore
Flag of South Korea (1949-1984).svg South Korea Lim Hyun-jung20 Seoul
Flag of Spain (1945-1977).svg Spain Amparo Rodrigo [52] 19 Valencia
Flag of Suriname (1959-1975).svg Suriname Greta Natsier [53] Paramaribo
Flag of Sweden.svg Sweden Brigitta Lindloff [11] 22 Västra Götaland
Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Switzerland Patrice Sollner [11] 24 Aargau
Flag of Thailand.svg Thailand Sangduen Manwong [54] 20 Phra Nakhon
Flag of Tunisia (1959-1999).svg Tunisia Zohra Boufaden [55] 21 Tunis
Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey Azra Balkan18 Istanbul
Flag of the United States.svg United States Wendy Dascomb [56] 19 Danville
Flag of Uruguay.svg Uruguay Julia Möller [57] 20 Montevideo
Flag of Venezuela (1954-2006).svg Venezuela María José Yéllici24 Aragua
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg Wales Shirley Jones [58] 22 Colwyn Bay
Flag of Germany.svg West Germany Gesine Froese [59] 22 Bavaria
Flag of Yugoslavia (1946-1992).svg Yugoslavia Nataša Košir [60] 21 Novo Mesto

Notes

  1. Ages at the time of the pageant

References

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  2. "Ratu Chantek Malaysia tidak pasti akan ka-Miami". Berita Harian (in Malay). 2 July 1969. p. 5. Retrieved 27 September 2025 via National Library Board.
  3. "Sabrina tetap tidak mewakili Malaysia di-Miami". Berita Harian (in Malay). 3 July 1969. p. 2. Retrieved 27 September 2025 via National Library Board.
  4. "Sobbing Sabrina: I'll try to stop her going". The Straits Times (in Malay). 4 July 1969. p. 11. Retrieved 27 September 2025 via National Library Board.
  5. "Sabrina Loo membantah keputusan tidak akan ka-Miami". Berita Harian (in Malay). 4 July 1969. p. 2. Retrieved 27 September 2025 via National Library Board.
  6. "10 Julai hari bersejarah bagi Rosemary Wan". Berita Harian (in Malay). 4 July 1969. p. 10. Retrieved 27 September 2025 via National Library Board.
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