While there were high hopes that Asians would feature prominently in the Miss Universe contest yesterday, those were dashed when mostly Latinas took the top spots.
Last year's win by Miss Japan, Ms Riyo Mori, set the bar for Asians. Ms Honey Lee from Korea also came in as third runner-up, while Ms Puja Gupta from India made it to the top 10 then.
Yesterday, the crown went instead to the usual South American winners: 22-year-old Ms Dayana Mendoza, from Venezuela, with Miss Colombia, Ms Taliana Vargas, taking second place.
Miss Dominican Republic, Ms Marianne Cruz Gonzalez, and Miss Mexico, Ms Elisa Najera, came in at No. 3 and No. 5 respectively. Miss Russia, Ms Vera Krasova, was the only non-South American in the top five, coming in at No. 4.
Venezuela's win was a somewhat predictable choice as the country is known as a "pageant powerhouse" that has long prepared contestants with makeovers, English classes and runway practice.
Still, two Asian faces made it into the top 15 - Miss Japan, Ms Hiroko Mima, and Miss Vietnam, Ms Nguyen Thuy Lam (main picture, inset).
One could put down Ms Nguyen's placing to her having been given an arbitrary spot, thanks to the fact that Vietnam hosted the contest in the seaside town of Nha Trang. Ms Mima's loss, however, is more shocking.
The 21-year-old's stock was high on betting websites. TOW Entertainment said that Internet sportsbook SBG Global reported unusually high betting volumes on her odds to win the contest - perhaps in part due to last year's winner, Ms Mori.
But, if online posts are anything to go by, Ms Mima was was never a favourite to win. Singapore website Hardwarezone.com's members thought that last year's Miss Japan, Ms Mori, was prettier.
Member Ni9htmar3r wrote: "Last year Japan damn chio". Chio means "pretty" in Hokkien.
Another member, wisher_22, wrote that this year's Ms Mima "can't make it".
Comments on sites like neilduckett.com - a blog by a "gaijin (Caucasian foreigner)" living in Tokyo - were mixed on Ms Mima. While some comments said she looked "unique", others said she was "not the most beautiful in the country".
Only one other Asian face took a spot worthy of mention - the Best National Costume award was handed to Miss Thailand, Ms Gavintra Photijak. Singapore's Shenise Wong did not take home any awards.
Still, the fact that Ms Mendoza won sits well with many.
"She has really endeared herself to the Vietnamese... She showed remarkable poise," a contest insider told The Associated Press before the final show.
But perhaps a post on American website 9News, which released the results yesterday morning, perfectly summed up why Ms Mendoza won.
