thecrowncompetitors

Zhang Zilin is the Miss World 2007 title holder, representing the People's Republic of China as Miss China World 2007. She is the first Miss World of East Asian origin.Zhang was born in Shijiazhuang, Hebei, on 22 March, 1984. She then moved to the Chinese capital, Beijing, where she attended high school from 1996 to 2002. She later completed her studies at the University of Science and Technology Beijing and obtained a degree in business administration in 2006. Zhang is now working as a fashion model. Having grown up in an academically oriented family, Zhang has always valued her education and has made many achievements in her studies. Both a scholar and an athlete, Zhang Zilin began training in various types of sports at the tender age of eight. She excels in the Triple Jump and Hurdles and has undergone professional training in the 100 meter Hurdles alongside Olympic Gold Medalist Liu Xiang. In 2002, Zhang finished high school and commenced her studies at the University of Science and Technology Beijing where she graduated in 2006. As an undergraduate, she competed and won many athletic competitions. In 2005, she won the "Sports Advance Distinction Award" at her university. Zhang's career in modeling and pageantry started in 2003 where she participated in a beauty pageant organized by New Silk Road Modeling Agency. As a first timer in pageantry, Zhang only managed to land herself in the top 10 due to lack of experience. However, she was later discovered by the executive manager of the agency, Lee Xiao Bai, who declared that Zhang had the potential to become a supermodel. Since then Zhang has graced the runways in major fashion capitals of the world including Paris and Berlin. In 2006, she was shortlisted as one of the top ten professional supermodels during the Chinese Fashion and Culture Awards. After that she participated in Giorgio Armani's 2007 Autumn/Winter Collection show in Paris and later earned herself the title of "Top Model of the Year" from New Silk Road modeling agency. Zhang lent her voice for the 2008 Summer Olympics soundtrack and also appeared in the music video for the same song entitled "Beijing Welcomes You."

1st Runner-up Angola - Micaela Reis
2nd Runner-up Mexico - Carolina Morán

Finalists

 Sweden - Annie Oliv
 Trinidad & Tobago - Valene Maharaj

Semi-finalists

 Austria - Christine Reiler
 Dominican Republic - Ada de la Cruz
 Ecuador - Valeska Saab
 Ghana - Irene Dwomoh
 Grenada - Vivian Burkhardt
 Hong Kong China - Kayi Cheung
 Jamaica - Yendi Phillips
 Malaysia - Deborah Priya Henry
 Puerto Rico - Jennifer Guevara
 United States - Abigail McCary
 Venezuela - Claudia Suárez

Continental Queens of Beauty
Beauty Queen of Africa: Micaela Reis (Angola)
Beauty Queen of Americas: Carolina Morán (Mexico)
Beauty Queen of Asia & Oceania: Zhang Zilin (China PR)
Beauty Queen of Caribbean: Valene Maharaj (Trinidad & Tobago)
Beauty Queen of Europe: Annie Oliv (Sweden)

Fast Track Competitions

Beach Beauty

The Miss World Beach Beauty was selected on the November 10.
Winner: Dominican Republic
1st runner-up: Jamaica
2nd runner-up: China PR
Top 5 finalists: Lithuania, Mexico
Top 21 semi-finalists: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Ethiopia, Grenada, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mongolia, Philippines, Spain, Trinidad & Tobago, Ukraine, Venezuela

Miss Sports

The Miss World Sports was selected on November 14.
Winner: United States
1st runner-up: Scotland
2nd runner-up: Sweden
3rd runner-up: Wales
Top 16 finalists: Albania, Argentina, Cayman Islands, Czech Republic, Hungary, Iceland, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Paraguay

Top Model

The Miss World Top Model was selected on November 24.
Winner: China PR
1st runner-up: Puerto Rico
2nd runner-up: Mexico
Top 7 finalists: Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Trinidad & Tobago, Venezuela

Miss Talent

The Miss World Talent was selected on November 26.
Winner: Ghana
1st runner-up: Scotland
2nd runner-up: Sweden
Top 18 finalists: Australia, Canada, Cyprus, England, Gibraltar, Grenada, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Macedonia FYRO, Malta, Moldova, Slovakia, Thailand

Beauty With A Purpose
Winners: (tie) 
Ecuador: Valeska Saab helps people with a terrible generic skin condition called ichthyosis.
Hong Kong China: Kayi Cheung helps old people and regularly works at retirement homes. She also has strong ties with UNICEF.
Top 5 Finalists: 
Indonesia: Kamidia Radisti helps less fortunate children with home schooling, free medical services for babies and young children.
Jamaica: Yendi Phillips helped people recover from a hurricane which hit the island by organising a fashion show and music event.
Sweden: Annie Oliv has for the last two years worked with a disabled person who has always been in a wheelchair and unable to do anything for herself.

Special Awards
Best World Dress Designer: Cho Eun-ju (Korea)

***Angola reached its highest position in the Miss World's history, finishing as 1st Runner-up.

***Zhang Zilin's victory marked the first time that an East Asian woman has won the Miss World title.