THE CONTESTANTS

Meet the 163 competitors as they enter the Olympic Stadium during the Opening Ceremony, with colorful comments by our very special guests Cassandra Porto and Janet Sullivan...

PARAGUAY

Cassandra: This South American charming and sexy woman was a great surprise in Miss Universe 2006.
Janet: I heard Lourdes Verónica Arévalos Elias of Paraguay has a bit of an attitude problem at times, but I guess that's fine, she is gorgeous indeed!

PERU

Cassandra: Maria Julia Mantilla Garcia, or simply Maju Mantilla, had 'Miss World' written all over her when she competed and won this title in 2004!
Janet: Maju is so regal! On top of being beautiful, she is very nice too, a great role model.
Cassandra: We are looking at a potential winner here!

PHILIPINNES

Cassandra: OH-MY-GOD!! I will go deaf, Janet!!
Janet: I know, listen to the Filipino fans!! They are everywhere, cheering for Precious Lara Quigaman, Miss International 2005!
Cassandra: Can Precious Lara handle the pressure and correspond to all the expectation around her participation at the Beauty Olympics???
Janet: What I know for sure is that this is pure maaadness!!!

POLAND

Cassandra: One stunning lady, two great results - 2nd runner-up at Miss Earth 2005 and 3rd runner-up at Miss World 2004.
Janet: Poland enters the 2008 Games with a strong contender, expect her to do well at the Olympics!

PORTUGAL

Cassandra: Unfortunately pageants do not live a glorious moment in Portugal nowadays.
Janet: Far from that, Cassandra! Patrícia Oliveira, however, was the pretty Portuguese rep in Miss World 2004...

PUERTO RICO

Cassandra: Ok, if the Filipinos made me half deaf, now my hearing ability is totally gone!
Janet: There comes a Caribbean hurricane called Zuleyka Rivera Mendoza! Her performance in Miss Universe 2006 was flawless and unforgettable.
Cassandra: Puerto Rico won silver with Hilda Flores at the 2004 Beauty Olympics. Four years later will it be happy with less than gold???

ROMANIA

Cassandra: Probably the longest and most perfect pair of legs in this competition belongs to Ioana Valentina Boitor, Miss Romania at Miss World 2006.
Janet: A Miss World's 1st runner-up, this woman is stunning from head to toes.

RUSSIA

Cassandra: Another heavy favorite walks into the Olympic Stadium, Olga Zarubina, Miss Tourism Queen International 2007.
Janet: Notice that not a single person here can't his eyes from her, Olga comes from Russia with love and plenty of beauty!!

SAMOA

Cassandra: Josephine Meisake participated in both Miss Earth and Miss Tourism Queen.
Janet: Have you been to Samoa, Cassandra? I can tell that this girl hails from paradise!

SCOTLAND

Cassandra: When everyone expected Poland to be called out as the 2nd finalist from Northern Europe at Miss World 2006, it was Scotland's Nicola McLean who did it.
Janet: She reminds me of Xena, the Warrior Princess!
Cassandra: You are right, Janet! I love Xena by the way...

SENEGAL

Cassandra: Doesn't Senegal's Aminata Dieye look like a real queen??
Janet: She does! I wish Senegal sent more candidates to Grand Slam pageants, they are always gorgeous!

SERBIA

Cassandra: People, look at this face!!
Janet: Gordana Strajin is pure perfection! She was a huge favorite to win the Miss Tourism Queen title in 2006, but ended the race in 2nd place.
Cassandra: With Gordana, her country competed as Serbia & Montenegro for the very last time.

SIERRA LEONE

Cassandra: I find Sierra Leone's Theresa Turay to be exquisite!
Janet: She is gorgeous, another stunner left in cold ice by Miss Earth judges in 2007.

SINGAPORE

Cassandra: With her long neck and impressive elegance, Ssunita Laximi Rai was the 3rd runner-up in Miss Tourism Queen 2006.
Janet: I like this girl a lot, look at the way she walks!
Cassandra: So elegant...

SLOVAKIA

Cassandra: Super sexy Julia Liptakova was the 4th runner-up at Miss Tourism Queen 2004.
Janet: She won the Miss Bikini International title a couple of years later. Julia is very hot indeed!

SLOVENIA

Cassandra: In 2007 Tjasa Kokalj made history for Slovenia upon becoming its first Miss Universe and Grand Slam semi-finalist in history!
Janet: She is a total knock-out, what a beauty!!

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