Miss Universe 2024 is set to be held in Mexico later this year.
It is the first time the country is hosting since 2007. The event will take place on September 28, where reigning Miss Universe Sheynnis Palacios of Nicaragua will crown her successor.
This year's pageant will feature the return of Belize, Botswana, China, Cuba, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, New Zealand and Samoa. Iran will also send a representative for the first time to the competition, but under the title of "Miss Persia".
Although it’s still early, a few competing countries have already selected their representatives, including pageant powerhouse Venezuela.
Here’s a list of who has been crowned so far.
Miss Universe China: Jia Qi
Qi, 23, was crowned Miss Universe China 2023, but couldn’t attend the Miss Universe competition that year in El Salvador because of visa issues. However, she will instead compete in this year’s contest in Mexico. She won her crown after beating 31 other finalists in October last year.
Hailing from Chengdu, in the Sichuan province of China, she is a former track and field athlete, as well as a fitness enthusiast.
Miss Universe Kazakhstan: Madina Almukhanova
Almukhanova, 23, is a model who was crowned Miss Kazakhstan after beating 24 other contestants in a competition held at the Republic Palace in Almaty in December.
Before that, she also held the title of First Vice Miss Almaty 2023.
Outside of beauty pageants, she has been modelling for five years, but is also a choirmaster conductor and sings professionally and plays the piano.
Miss Universe France: Indira Ampiot
Ampiot, 20, is a French model who had previously been crowned Miss Basse-Terre and Miss Guadeloupe in 2022. She is the fourth woman from Guadeloupe to win Miss France.
She is of Indian descent through her maternal grandfather and is the niece of French footballer Frederic Tejou. She beat 29 other contestants in the competition held in December.
Miss Universe Kyrgyzstan: Maya Turdalieva
Turdalieva, 25, hails from Bishkek, the capital city of Kyrgyzstan. She was appointed to represent the country after Diami Almazbekova, the original representative of Kyrgyzstan, decided to withdraw from the competition due to lack of preparation in 2023. However, Turdalieva was then replaced by Akylai Kalberdieva due to undisclosed reasons.
Now Turdelieva will compete at Miss Universe 2024.
Miss Universe Mongolia: Nominzul Zandangiin
Zandangiin, 19, was named Miss Universe Mongolia 2023 in October. She beat 16 other contestants for the crown. She is a student at the National University of Mongolia and is working on getting a degree in accounting.
Miss Universe New Zealand: Franki Russell
Russell, 29, is a Filipino-Kiwi actress and model who was crowned Miss Universe New Zealand 2024, making her the country’s first representative to the pageant since 2019.
During her campaign, she focused her platform on cyberbullying. She previously competed in the Miss Universe UAE pageant in 2021, where she finished in the Top 30.
Miss Universe Venezuela: Ileana Marquez
Marquez, 28, is a model and the first mother to win the Miss Venezuela title. She beat 24 other contestants for the crown in December, becoming the third woman representing Amazonas to be crowned.
Her hobbies include singing, dancing and acting. She says she was motivated to compete in Miss Venezuela because it was was the first time the organisation allowed mothers as well as married and divorced women to compete.
