She was an unlikely winner, but Miss Mexico stunned the audience when she was crowned Miss Universe last night.Jimena Navarrete of Guadalajara, 22, beat the set of 83 hopefuls as they showed off swimsuits, evening gowns and interview skills in a bid to impress a panel of judges.
The brunette, who has modeled for 15 years, wowed the crowd in a flowing red chiffon gown before revealing the importance of teaching children family values.
And the winner is...: Miss Mexico Jimena Navarrete is crowned winner of Miss Universe 2010 held at the Mandelay Bay hotel in Las Vegas last night
Stunning: The brunette model dazzled the audience with an asymmetric red flowing gown, left, and showed off her enviable figure in a lilac bikini and high heels
Navarette - who has won prizes including a luxury New York apartment, a one-year scholarship to the New York Film Academy with housing after her reign, jewelry, clothes and shoes - was first to answer an interview question at the glamorous pageant, held on the Las Vegas Strip.
Earlier, she smiled in a violet bikini, confidently posing on stage.
Asked by Olympic gold-medal figure skater Evan Lysacek how she felt about unsupervised Internet use, Navarrete said the Internet is important but parents need to be careful and watch over their children.
Runner up: Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillips came second after proudly showing off her bikini body
She said: 'I do believe that Internet is an indispensable, necessary tool for the present time'
'We must be sure to teach them the values that we learned as a family.'
Navarrete, who says she plans to study nutritional science, is expected to spend her year as Miss Universe drawing attention to the plight of people with HIV/AIDS and breast cancer.
First runner-up was Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillipps, while second runner-up was Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell.
Luck of the Irish? Miss Ireland Rozanna Purcell fails to make it to the final 15 despite being a favourite to win
Behind the scenes: Pageant owner Donald Trump chats to Rozanna as she gets ready backstage
Navarrete is Mexico's second Miss Universe; Lupita Jones of Mexico won the title in 1991. She replaces Miss Universe 2009 Stefania Fernandez of Venezuela.
Her win thwarted Miss Venezuela Marelisa Gibson from giving the South American country a third consecutive win. Neither Gibson nor Miss USA Rima Fakih - who caused controversy for being first American Muslim to become Miss USA - made the top 15 finalists.
Fakih caused potential controversy when she disappointed many Islamic leaders by saying she opposes construction of a proposed mosque near Ground Zero in New York city.
She said: 'I totally agree with President (Barack) Obama with the statement on constitutional rights of freedom of religion," she told Inside Edition, the US tabloid TV show.
Question time: Miss Navarette choses an interview question on children using the internet, where she explains the importance of teaching them family values
'I also agree that it shouldn't be so close to the World Trade Center (site). We should be more concerned with the tragedy than religion.'
Campbell won the Miss Congeniality Universe award. Miss Thailand Fonthip Watcharatrakul won Miss Photogenic Universe and a second award for having the best national costume.
From Albania to Zambia, contestants from six continents strutted across the stage Monday at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino.
And then there were five...: (L to R) Miss Philippines Maria Venus Raj, eventual winner Miss Mexico, Miss Ukraine Anna Poslavskaya, Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillips and Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell
With fans in some 190 countries watching on television and keeping tabs on Twitter, Navarrete and her competitors introduced themselves while wearing over-the-top national costumes.
They then danced in silver and black dresses for the show's opening number before the top 15 finalists were announced.
The final 15 walked in swimsuits while Cirque du Soleil musicians played Elvis Presley songs including Viva Las Vegas.
The final ten: California clothing company Pacific Mills founded the contest 1952 and it was acquired by mogul Donald Trump in 1996
Making an entrance: The girls walked in swimsuits while Cirque du Soleil musicians played Elvis Presley songs
The last 10 impressed in their gowns while John Legend and the Roots played a soulful medley including Save Room.
By the end of the show, seven of the top 10 trending topics on Twitter had to do with the pageant, its contestants, its judges or owner Donald Trump. The mogul co-owns the pageant with TV network NBC.
The pageant started as a local bathing revue in Long Beach, California, organized by a swimwear company. It now skips over the world; it was held last year in the Bahamas and in Vietnam in 2008.
Consolation prizes: Miss Austalia Jesinta Campbell won the Miss Congeniality Universe award while Miss Thailand Fonthip Watcharatrakul won Miss Photogenic Universe
Dancing queens: The contestants danced in silver and black dresses for the show's opening number before the top 15 finalists were announced
