thecrowncompetitors

Linor Abargil is an Israeli model, who was the winner of the Miss World beauty pageant in 1998, after she had been crowned Miss Israel. She is 176 cm (5 ft 9 1/4 in) tall. Two months before being crowned Miss World, Abargil was raped in Italy by an Israeli Shlomo Nur, who was working as a travel agent in Milan. She made her case public and Nur was arrested in Israel, charged with and found guilty of rape. Abargil called for other women to follow her example. February 2006 newspapers announced that Lithuanian basketball superstar Šarunas Jasikevicius proposed to Linor Abargil, and the two started planning their wedding. Soon after Ynetnews announced that Baruch Marzel, the Chairman of the Jewish National Front party, wrote a letter to Linor Abargil Jasikevicius, in which he called on her to turn down Šarunas' marriage proposal unless he converts. Abargil and Jasikevicius married in a ceremony near Barcelona, Spain, in July, 2006. In 2007-2008 Linor Abargil added Šarunas' surname to her own name, now she is - Linor Abargil Jasikevicius.

1st runner-up France - Véronique Caloc
2nd runner-up Malaysia - Lina Teoh

Finalists

Czech Republic - Alena Šeredová
 South Africa - Kerishnie Naicker

Semi-finalists

 Brazil - Adrianna Reis
 Chile - Daniella Campos
 Jamaica - Christine Straw
 Peru - Mariana Larrabure
 United States - Shauna Gambill

Continental Queens
Africa: Kerishnie Naicker (South Africa)
Americas: Daniella Campos (Chile)
Asia and Oceania: Lina Teoh (Malaysia)
Caribbean: Christine Straw (Jamaica)
Europe: Linor Abargil (Israel)

***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.

***Republic of China changed the name on its sash to Chinese Taipei.

***United States, Shauna Gambill, was also Miss California Teen USA 1994 and Miss California USA 1998. She competed at Miss Teen USA 1994 where she won the title and placed 1st runner up at Miss USA 1998. She is the first Miss Teen USA winner to compete in Miss World.