Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Azra Akin was crowned Miss World 2002 at the annual pageant held on December 7, 2002 at Alexandra Palace in London, England, representing Turkey. She was born on December 8, 1981 in the Dutch town of Almelo, and was raised in the Netherlands by Turkish parents. Akin enjoys ballet and plays the flute. She also won the pageant's Best Gown award. At 17, she was selected Elite Model Look 1998 of Turkey. In 2003 she won a gold medal when she participated in the British reality TV show The Games. Akin has also played the leading role in the long term TV series Yagmur Zamani, minor role as an actress in Turkish TV shows including Teberik Sanssiz and the 2005 feature Istanbul Tales (Anlat Istanbul). She speaks Dutch, Turkish and English. She has been dating model and actor Kivanç Tatlitug since 2002.
1st runner-up Colombia - Natalia Peralta
2nd runner-up Peru - Marina Mora
3rd runner-up Norway - Kathrine Sørland
4th runner-up People's Republic of China - Wu Ying-Na
Finalists
Australia - Nicole Rita Gazal
Nigeria - Chinenye Ochuba
Philippines - Katherine Anne Manalo
United States - Rebekah Revels
Venezuela - Goizeder Azúa
Semifinalists
Aruba - Rachelle Oduber
Bosnia & Herzegovina - Daniela Vinš
Curaçao - Ayanette Mary-Ann Statia
Holland - Elise Boulogne
India - Shruti Sharma
Italy - Suzanne Zuber
Puerto Rico - Cassandra Polo
Russia - Anna Tatarintseva
Vietnam - Phạm Thị Mai Phương
Yugoslavia - Ana Šargić
Continental Queens of Beauty
Africa Nigeria - Chinenye Ochuba
Americas Colombia - Natalia Peralta
Asia & Oceania People's Republic of China - Wu Ying-Na
Caribbean Aruba - Rachelle Oduber
Europe Turkey - Azra Akın
Special Awards
Best World Dress Designer Turkey - Azra Akın
Miss World Talent United States - Rebekah Revels
Miss World Scholarship Swaziland - Nozipho Shabangu
