20 Miss Universe contestants who made history during the 2024 pageant

During the pageant, the Miss Universe announcers said that Theilvig was the first Miss Denmark to place in the top five since 1963 — and she went on to become the first from her country to win the crown.

The 21-year-old pageant queen is a dancer who aspires to become a lawyer. She is also an advocate for mental health and animal rights.

Pouchet, a 29-year-old communications specialist and government official, didn’t place in the top 30.

Ancheta made it to the top 30 on Saturday night.

The 31-year-old is a model and businesswoman. She is also an advocate for mental-health support.

Salah made it to the top 30 during the Miss Universe finals.

The 34-year-old is a mother, model, makeup artist, and TV presenter. She is using her current platform to destigmatize vitiligo, a condition that results in the loss of pigment in the skin.

Bah, 29, is a master’s student pursuing her degree in business administration. She also works for a government nonprofit.

Before Mcintosh won the title of Miss Gibraltar, she told the judges, “I may be small, but I stand tall,” Gibraltar Chronicle reported. According to her Instagram, she is around 5-foot-1.

The 25-year-old accountant was also the first Miss Gibraltar to walk across the Miss Universe stage in 34 years.

Chiu placed in the top 30 on Saturday night. The 23-year-old is a dancer, model, and digital creator.

Njoya is a single mother of three.

She’s also a survivor of domestic and sexual abuse and now works with local NGOs to “advocate against all forms of violence against women,” according to her Miss Universe bio.

Naseem’s Miss Universe appearance stirred controversy in her home country.

The Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Information, and Arts in the Maldives said the pageant “fundamentally conflicts with the Islamic beliefs, cultural values, and traditions upheld by the Maldivian people,” according to Ceylon Today.

Omar, 23, was also the first woman to represent Somalia at the Miss Universe competition. In 2021, she became the first pageant queen to wear a hijab at Miss World.

The 20-year-old organizes fashion events in Moldova and Romania. She is also an advocate for sports development.

Prasath made it to the top 30 in the competition. The 33-year-old spends much of her time volunteering and providing community service.

The 19-year-old is an environmental conservation advocate.

The 25-year-old began modeling at the age of 14. She has a degree in tourism management and previously competed at Miss World Philippines 2017, where she reached the top 15.

According to her Miss Universe bio, the 21-year-old’s mission is “to inspire a world where every person feels valued and has a voice.”

Alma Cooper, 22, is an Army officer and West Point graduate, where she was in the top 5% of her class. She is now a Knight-Hennessy Scholar at Stanford University, pursuing a master’s degree in data science.

The 26-year-old is a singer, model, and Chinese medicine specialist.

It wasn’t an easy journey for Adetshina to reach the Miss Universe stage. She was originally competing for Miss South Africa 2024 but decided to withdraw from the pageant following social-media attacks regarding her nationality. The Miss Nigeria competition then invited her to compete.

The 23-year-old is a law student and athlete who champions “diversity, equity, and inclusion” as part of her Miss Universe platform, according to her bio for the pageant.

The 27-year-old is a mother of three and a successful model. She has walked the runway at New York Fashion Week and appeared on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar Vietnam, according to Harper’s Bazaar Arabia.

Fakhriddinova, 25, is a model.