Riyo Mori

Riyo Mori (born on December 24, 1986 in Shizuoka, Japan) is a Japanese actress, dancer, model and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Universe 2007 in Mexico City.

Biography
Riyo began dancing when she was 4 years old. She has studied at Quinte Ballet School of Canada and also is a graduate from Centennial Secondary School in Belleville, Ontario, Canada.

She also completed her Grade 11 year at Mount Douglas Secondary School in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Riyo was crowned Miss Universe on May 28, 2007, by the outgoing titleholder Zuleyka Rivera.

As Japan's representative in the Miss Universe 2007 pageant, Riyo travelled to Mexico City, Mexico in early May to participate in four weeks of events, rehearsals and preliminary competitions with the other seventy-seven delegates.

In the final competition, broadcast internationally on May 28, 2007, she was announced as one of fifteen semi-finalists who would move forward to compete for the title.

Riyo achieved the highest score in the swimsuit competition, which advanced her to the top ten and the evening gown competition, in which she placed fourth.

Riyo's kimono-inspired black/floral evening gown of choice came from the Spring/Summer 2007 collection of Gucci.

In the last round, Riyo was asked by Elle magazine fashion director and "Project Runway" judge Nina Garcia to speak about the one lesson she learned as a child that still affects her life. She said that since childhood she has been dancing and hence, she was constantly surrounded by students and teachers.

Due to the interactions with them, Riyo has learned to become always happy, patient, and positive in her life. She also expressed a desire to teach these principles to the next generation.

At the conclusion of the competition, Riyo was crowned Miss Universe, becoming the second woman from Japan to hold the title; the first Miss Universe winner from Japan was Akiko Kojima in 1959. She is the eleventh Asian woman to win the pageant.

Riyo was the third Japanese woman to place in the top five at Miss Universe in the past decade; Miyako Miyazaki placed fourth runner-up at Miss Universe 2003, and her predecessor Kurara Chibana was first runner-up in 2006.

She aims to use her success and popularity as a springboard into humanitarian causes, saying, "I think I have a samurai soul, I'm very patient, and I can serve others."

As of May 2008, Riyo had traveled to Indonesia, Spain, the Bahamas, St. Kitts and Nevis, China, Mexico, Canada, Germany, Vietnam, France, Monaco, San Marino, Russia & Italy in addition to numerous trips and her homecoming in Japan.

She also visited numerous cities in the United States.

On July 14, 2008, Riyo crowned her successor, Venezuela native Dayana Mendoza with a $120,000-USD tiara, Miss Universe 2008 in Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Titleholders

 * Miss Universe Japan 2007 (Winner)
 * Miss Universe 2007 (Winner)