Miss Universe Iris Mittenaere of France

Miss France Iris Mittenaere was crowned the 65th Miss Universe at the Mall of Asia Arena on Monday, January 30.

The first runner-up was Raquel Pelissier of Haiti, with Andrea Tovar of Colombia named second runner-up.

Mittanaere is the second contender from France to win a Miss Universe title. The first was Christiane Martel, who won all the way back in 1953.

At five feet and eight inches, Iris was not the tallest of the contestants, but she was still an eye-catcher out of the 86 candidates who vied for the title, with her flawless walk, charming personality and stylish looks.

Even before the competition started, Mittanaere was among the strongest contenders from the pre-pageant activities and the preliminary competition.

The 24-year-old beauty queen is currently pursuing a degree in dental surgery, is fond of extreme sports and travelling, and loves to cook French dishes.

— Jannielyn Ann Bigtas/BM, GMA News