Miss World 1998
Encyclopedia
The 48th Miss World pageant was held at the Lake Berjaya Mahé Resort in Mahé Island
, Seychelles
. 86 delegates from around the world competed for the crown. Ronan Keating
then lead singer of Boyzone
and MTV
's Eden Harel
hosted the event. This year's winner, Israel
's Linor Abargil, revealed days after the competition that she was raped months before the pageant.
GROUP 2
GROUP 3
GROUP 4
GROUP 5
GROUP 6
GROUP 7
GROUP 8
Note: Contestants who do not speak English during the interview are italicized.
Mahé, Seychelles
Mahé is the largest island of the Seychelles, lying in the north east of the nation. The population of Mahé is 80,000. It contains the capital city of Victoria and accommodates 90% of the country's total population...
, Seychelles
Seychelles
Seychelles , officially the Republic of Seychelles , is an island country spanning an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, some east of mainland Africa, northeast of the island of Madagascar....
. 86 delegates from around the world competed for the crown. Ronan Keating
Ronan Keating
Ronan Patrick John Keating is an Irish recording artist, singer-songwriter, musician, and philanthropist. Keating debuted on the professional music scene alongside Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Shane Lynch and Stephen Gately, in 1994 as the lead singer of Boyzone. His solo career started in 1999, and...
then lead singer of Boyzone
Boyzone
Boyzone are an Irish boy band comprising Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating,Shane Lynch, and formerly Stephen Gately. Boyzone have 19 singles in the top 40 UK charts and 21 singles in the Ire charts. The group currently have 6 UK number one singles and 9 number one singles in Ireland with 12...
and MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
's Eden Harel
Eden Harel
Eden Harel is an actress and TV host from Israel. She was an MTV Europe VJ during the 1990s.-Early life:Harel was born Adva Harel in Eilat. growing up she went to the boarding school of 'WIZO Hadasim'...
hosted the event. This year's winner, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
's Linor Abargil, revealed days after the competition that she was raped months before the pageant.
Placements
| Final results | Contestant |
|---|---|
| Miss World 1998 | |
| 1st runner-up |
 Early Modern France - Véronique Caloc |
| 2nd runner-up |
 Malaysia - Lina TeohLina Teoh Lina Teoh won the Miss Malaysia World 1998/1999 pageant and represented Malaysia in the Miss World 1998 contest in Mahe Island, Seychelles where she finished third, behind winner Linor Abargil of Israel and runner up Véronique Caloc of France... |
| Finalists |
 Czech Republic - Alena ŠeredováAlena Šeredová Alena Buffon is a Czech model currently living and working in Italy. She is the wife of Italian football goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.- Career :...  South Africa - Kerishnie Naicker |
| Semi-finalists |
 Chile - Daniella CamposDaniella Campos Daniella Andrea Campos Lathrop is a Chilean TV presenter and beauty pageant titleholder who placed in the Top 10 at Miss World 1998.-Miss World 1998:...  Brazil - Adrianna Reis Jamaica - Christine Straw Peru - Mariana Larrabure United States - Shauna GambillShauna Gambill Shauna Gambill is a beauty queen from Acton, California who has held the Miss Teen USA title and competed in the Miss USA and Miss World pageants.... |
Order of Semi-finalists
- 1. Israel
- 2. Peru
- 3. Chile
- 4. France
- 5. Brazil
- 6. United States
- 7. Jamaica
- 8. South Africa
- 9. Malaysia
- 10. Czech Republic
Continental Queens
- Africa: Kerishnie Naicker (South Africa)
- Americas: Daniella CamposDaniella CamposDaniella Andrea Campos Lathrop is a Chilean TV presenter and beauty pageant titleholder who placed in the Top 10 at Miss World 1998.-Miss World 1998:...
(Chile) - Asia and Oceania: Lina TeohLina TeohLina Teoh won the Miss Malaysia World 1998/1999 pageant and represented Malaysia in the Miss World 1998 contest in Mahe Island, Seychelles where she finished third, behind winner Linor Abargil of Israel and runner up Véronique Caloc of France...
(Malaysia) - Caribbean: Christine Straw (Jamaica)
- Europe: Linor Abargil (Israel)
Delegates
- ' - Wendy Sanchez
Angola - Maria Manuela Cortez de Lemos João
Argentina - Natalia Elisa González
Aruba - Judelca Shahira Briceno
Australia - Sarah-Jane Camille St. Clair
Austria - Sabine Lindorfer
The Bahamas - LeTeasha Henrietta Ingraham
Belgium - Tanja DextersTanja DextersTanja Dexters was crowned Miss Belgium 1998 and represented her country at Miss Universe 1999 and Miss World 1998....
Bolivia - Bianca Bauer Añez- ' - Samra Tojaga
Botswana - Earthen Pinkinyana Mbulawa- Brazil - Adriana Luci de Souza Reis
British Virgin Islands - Virginia Olen Rubiane
Kingdom of Bulgaria - Polina Petkova
Canada - Leanne Baird
Cayman Islands - Gemma Marie McLaughlin- Chile - Daniella Andrea Campos LathropDaniella CamposDaniella Andrea Campos Lathrop is a Chilean TV presenter and beauty pageant titleholder who placed in the Top 10 at Miss World 1998.-Miss World 1998:...
Colombia - Mónica Marcela Cuartas Jimenez
Costa Rica - María Luisa Ureña Salazar
Independent State of Croatia - Lejla Sehović
Curaçao - Jeameane Veronica Colastica
Cyprus - Chrysanthi Michael- Czech Republic - Alena ŠeredováAlena ŠeredováAlena Buffon is a Czech model currently living and working in Italy. She is the wife of Italian football goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.- Career :...
Dominican Republic - Sharmin Arelis Díaz Costo
Ecuador - Vanessa Natania Graf Alvear
Estonia - Ly Jürgenson
Finland - Maaret Saija Nousiainen- Early Modern France - Véronique Caloc
Germany - Sandra Ahrabian
Ghana - Efia Owusuaa Marfo
Gibraltar - Melanie Soiza
Greece - Katia Marie MargaritoglouKatia MargaritoglouKatia Marie Margaritoglou, in Greek: Κάτια Μαργαρίτογλου, is a Greek fashion model and beauty contestant. In 1998 she won the title Miss Hellas at the Miss Star Hellas pageant and represented Greece at the Miss World 1998 pageant event which took place in the Seychelles...
Guatemala - Glenda Iracema Cifuentes Ruiz- ' - Nerena Ruinemans
- ' - Jessie Chiu Chui-Yi
Hungary - Eva Horvath
India - Annie Thomas
Republic of Ireland - Vivienne Doyle
Israel - Linor Abargil
Italy - Maria Concetta Travaglini- Jamaica - Christine Renee Straw
Japan - Rie Mochizuki
Kazakhstan - Anna Kirpota
- ' - Kim Kun-woo
Lebanon - Clemence Achkar
Liberia - Olivia Precious Cooper
Lithuania - Kristina Pakarnaite- Malaysia - Lina Teoh Pick LimLina TeohLina Teoh won the Miss Malaysia World 1998/1999 pageant and represented Malaysia in the Miss World 1998 contest in Mahe Island, Seychelles where she finished third, behind winner Linor Abargil of Israel and runner up Véronique Caloc of France...
Malta - Rebecca Camilleri
Mauritius - Oona Sujaya Fulena
Mexico - Vilma Veronica Zamora SuñolVilma ZamoraVilma Verónica Zamora Suñol, from the Mexican state of Guanajuato is a beauty pageant title holder. She won the title of Nuestra Belleza Mundo México in 1998, and represented her country in the 1998 Miss World pageant, held in Seychelles on November 26, 1998...
Nepal - Jyoti Pradhan
New Zealand - Tanya Hayward
Nicaragua - Claudia Patricia Alaniz Hernandez
Nigeria - Temitayo Osobu
Norway - Henriette Dankersten
Panama - Lorena del Carmen Zagía Miro
Paraguay - Perla Carolina Benítez Gonzales- Peru - Mariana Larrabure de Orbegoso
Philippines - Rachel Muyot Soriano
Poland - Izabela Opęchowska
Portugal - Marcia Vasconcelos
Puerto Rico - Antonia Alfonso Pagan
Russia - Tatiana Makrouchina- ' - Myrtille Charlotte Brookson
Seychelles - Alvina Antoinette Grand d'Court
Singapore - Grace Chay
Slovakia - Karolina Cicatkova
Slovenia - Mihaela (Miša) Novak- South Africa - Kerishnie Naicker
Spain - Rocio Jiménez Fernandéz
Swaziland - Cindy Stanckoczi
Sweden - Jessica Magdalena Therése AlmenäsJessica AlmenäsJessica Magdalena Therése Almenäs, born 16 November 1975, in Jokkmokk, Sweden, is a Swedish TV personality, former model, and basketball player.Almenäs has studied science in media and is a TV personality on the Swedish channel TV4...
Switzerland - Sonja Grandjean
Chinese Taipei - Chen Yi-Ju
Tanzania - Basila Kalubha Mwanukuzi- ' - Jeanette Marie La Caillie
Turkey - Buket Saygi
Ukraine - Nataliya Nadtochey
United Kingdom - Emmalene McLoughlin- United States - Shauna Gene GambillShauna GambillShauna Gambill is a beauty queen from Acton, California who has held the Miss Teen USA title and competed in the Miss USA and Miss World pageants....
Uruguay - Maria Desiree Fernández Mautone
Venezuela - Veronica Schneider RodriguezVeronica SchneiderVeronica Schneider is a model and actress.-Biography:Schneider studied Computer Science at Universidad Central de Venezuela. In 1998 she began dating a Physics Student named A.A...- ' - Jelena Jakovljević
Zambia - Chisala Chibesa
Zimbabwe - Annette Kambarami
Returning countries and Debuts
- Angola, Kazakhstan and St. Maarten competed in Miss World for the first time.
- Nicaragua last competed in 1977Miss World 1977The 27th Miss World Pageant was held on November 17, 1977 in the Royal Albert Hall, London, UK. The winner was Mary Ann Catrin Stävin from Sweden...
. - Liberia last competed in 1988Miss World 1988The 38th Miss World Pageant was held on November 17, 1988 in the Royal Albert Hall, London, UK. The winner was Linda Pétursdóttir from Iceland. Runner up was Yeon-hee Choi representing Korea and third was Kirsty Roper from the United Kingdom...
. - Mauritius last competed in 1994Miss World 1994Miss World 1994 was the 44th Miss World pageant and marked the third consecutive staging of Miss World in Sun City, South Africa. Actor Blair Underwood and supermodel Naomi Campbell served as presenters. The pageant attracted 87 contestants from around the world...
. - Curaçao and Nigeria last competed in 1996Miss World 1996Miss World 1996, the 46th Miss World pageant took place on November 23, 1996 in the city of Bangalore, India. 88 contestants from all over the world took part in the prestigious pageant...
.
Withdrawals and Nations not competing
- Latvia and Thailand did not compete in Miss World for the first time. Latvia, Evija Rucevska, withdrew in Miss World for personal reasons, but she competed in Miss World a year later. Thailand had a lack of sponsorship by sending a delegate to Miss World.
Other Notes
- Ghana slipped down on stage during the Day Wear Presentation in the finals.
- This is the first time that Miss World had a presentation on Day Wear, while the presentation for the national dress was annihilated. Australia, Sarah-Jane St. Clair won the award.
- United States, Shauna GambillShauna GambillShauna Gambill is a beauty queen from Acton, California who has held the Miss Teen USA title and competed in the Miss USA and Miss World pageants....
, was also Miss California Teen USAMiss California Teen USAThe Miss California Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss Teen USA pageant. This pageant is part of the Miss Universe Organization, owned by Donald Trump....
1994 and Miss California USAMiss California USAMiss California USA is a pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss USA pageant.The current titleholder is Katie Blair. She succeeded Alyssa Campanella on June 25, 2011 after Campanella was crowned Miss USA 2011....
1998. She competed at Miss Teen USA 1994Miss Teen USA 1994Miss Teen USA 1994, the 12th Miss Teen USA pageant, was televised live from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi on 16 August 1994...
where she won the title and placed 1st runner up at Miss USA 1998Miss USA 1998Miss USA 1998, the 47th Miss USA pageant, was held in Shreveport, Louisiana in March, 1998. The preliminary competition was held on 6 March 1998 and the final competition on 10 March 1998...
. She is the first Miss Teen USA winner to compete in Miss World. - South Africa, Kerishnie Naicker, was a semi-finalist in Miss Universe 1998Miss Universe 1998Miss Universe 1998, the 47th Miss Universe pageant was held at Stan Sheriff Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA on May 12, 1998. Brook Lee, Miss Universe 1997, of the USA crowned Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad and Tobago as Miss Universe 1998...
in HawaiiHawaiiHawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, while Jamaica, Christine Straw, later became the semi-finalist in Miss Universe 2004Miss Universe 2004Miss Universe 2004, the 53rd Miss Universe pageant, was held in Centro de Convenciones CEMEXPO, Quito, Ecuador on June 1, 2004. It was won by Jennifer Hawkins of Australia....
in EcuadorEcuadorEcuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. - Belgium, Cayman Islands, Ireland, and Lebanon competed in Miss Universe 1999Miss Universe 1999Miss Universe 1999 was held at the Chaguaramas Convention Centre, Chaguaramas, Trinidad and Tobago on May 26, 1999. Mpule Kwelagobe of Botswana was crowned as Miss Universe 1999 by Miss Universe 1998 Wendy Fitzwilliam of Trinidad and Tobago. A record number of 84 contestants competed in the pageant...
in Trinidad and TobagoTrinidad and TobagoTrinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
. - Ukraine (Nataliya Nadtochey) competed in Miss Universe 1997Miss Universe 1997Miss Universe 1997 pageant was held in Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida, USA, culminating in the final competition on May 16, 1997. This was the second consecutive year that the pageant had been held in the United States. Miss USA, Brook Lee of Hawaii was crowned Miss...
in Miami. - France (Véronique Caloc) represented her country although she came from the island of MartiniqueMartiniqueMartinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
. - Republic of China changed the name on its sash to Chinese Taipei.
- After returning to the People's Republic of ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
, Hong Kong added the word China to its sash. - 7 out of 10 countries which made it into the semifinals, were not in the semifinals last year: Chile (1967), Peru (1977), France and Jamaica (1993), Israel (1995), and Brazil (1996). Czech Republic made into the semi-finals for the first time since the separation from Czechoslovakia in 1993.
- Aruba and Curaçao had sent Spanish-speaking contestants in Miss World for the first time.
Background Music for Day Wear
- Group 1 - Soul Bossa Nova - Quincy Jones
- Group 2 - Une Very Stylish Fille - Dimitri from Paris
- Group 3 - Garden Party - Mezzoforte
- Group 4 -
- Group 5 -
- Group 6 - Pick Up The Pieces - Average White Band
- Group 7 -
- Group 8 - Would You Go To Bed With Me - Touch & Go
Group Order
GROUP 1- Malta
- Turkey
- St. Maarten
- Seychelles
- Italy
- Croatia
- Bolivia
- South Africa
- Ecuador
- Jamaica
- Aruba
GROUP 2
- Germany
- Switzerland
- France
- Mauritius
- American Virgin Islands
- Gibraltar
- Japan
- Australia
- Korea
- Lithuania
- United Kingdom
GROUP 3
- Hungary
- Malaysia
- Chile
- Zimbabwe
- Dominican Republic
- United States
- Colombia
- Sweden
- Finland
- Liberia
- Slovakia
GROUP 4
- Belgium
- Botswana
- Holland
- Nigeria
- Cyprus
- Nepal
- Guatemala
- Cayman Islands
- Curaçao
GROUP 5
- Tanzania
- Canada
- Brazil
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Argentina
- New Zealand
- Poland
- Zambia
- Hong Kong China
- Spain
- Israel
GROUP 6
- Estonia
- Ireland
- Ghana
- Lebanon
- Swaziland
- Bosnia & Herzegovina
- Austria
- Venezuela
- Yugoslavia
- Uruguay
- Czech Republic
GROUP 7
- Chinese Taipei
- Puerto Rico
- Costa Rica
- Singapore
- Bahamas
- Panama
- British Virgin Islands
- Bulgaria
- Kazakhstan
- Mexico
- Norway
GROUP 8
- Ukraine
- Russia
- Greece
- Portugal
- Slovenia
- Peru
- India
- Philippines
- Angola
- Nicaragua
- Paraguay
Note: Contestants who do not speak English during the interview are italicized.
Judges
- Eric MorleyEric MorleyEric Douglas Morley was born in Holborn, London, England. He was the founder of the Miss World pageant. He was married to now head of the pageant Julia Morley from 1960.-Life and career:...
- Diana Hayden
- Sophie DahlSophie DahlSophie Dahl , born Sophie Holloway, is an English author and former model. She was born in London, the daughter of actor Julian Holloway and writer Tessa Dahl. Her maternal grandparents were author Roald Dahl and actress Patricia Neal. Her paternal grandparents were actor Stanley Holloway and...
- Pilin LeonPilin LeonPilín León won the 1981 Miss World pageant, held in London, United Kingdom, representing Venezuela....
- Jonah LomuJonah LomuJonah Tali Lomu, MNZM is a New Zealand rugby union player. He had sixty-three caps as an All Black after debuting in 1994. He is generally regarded as the first true global superstar of rugby union. He has had a huge impact on the game...
- Mark NewsonMark NewsonMark Newson is an English former professional footballer.In summer 1982 Newson played in Finland.In 1995, Newson joined Tottenham Hotspur on loan, solely to play in their Inter-Toto Cup ties....
- Terry O'NeillTerry O'NeillTerry O'Neill may refer to:* Terry O'Neill , American attorney, professor and activist for social justice, president of NOW* Terry O'Neill , Australian rules footballer* Terry O'Neill , British martial artist and actor...
- Mica ParisMica ParisMica Paris is an English soul singer, radio and television presenter, and occasional actress. Her forename is pronounced Misha.-Beginnings:Paris' roots are in soul and gospel music...
- Jacques VilleneuveJacques VilleneuveJacques Joseph Charles Villeneuve, , is a Canadian musician and automobile racing driver. He is the son of the late Formula One driver Gilles Villeneuve, and is the namesake of his uncle...