Name	Riyo Mori
Height	5'8
Naionality	Japanese
Date of Birth	December 24, 1986
Place of Birth	Shizuoka, Japan
Famous for

The Miss Universe of 2007 Riyo Mori, born on 24th December, 1986 at Aoi-ku, Shizuoka in Japan is a dance instructor by profession

As an ardent dance enthusiast Riyo started learning dance from an early age of 4, the first institution she enrolled to learn dance was Quinte Ballet School of Canada. At Quinte ballet School Riyo started learning and perfecting her Ballet skills, before moving to Belleville based Centennial Secondary School where she completed her secondary school education. After graduating from Centennial Secondary School Riyo Mori enrolled to Victoria based Mount Douglas Secondary School and completed her grade 11. With due gratitude towards the art of dancing Riyo Mori still retains her first ballet shoes.

Riyo Mori was crowned Miss Universe on 28th May 2007, by the former Miss Universe of 2006 Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico. As the representative of Japan in the Miss Universe 2007 pageant, Riyo traveled to Mexico City in May to take part in 4 weeks of rehearsals, promotional events and preliminary competitions along with 77 other delegates representing nations worldwide.

In final competition for the miss universe crown, Riyo was asked to move forward to compete with 15 other semi-finalists. Mori scored highest in the swimsuit contest which hurled her in top 10. Mori was placed fourth in the evening gown contest. Her kimono-inspired floral black gown came from spring 2007 collection of Italian label Gucci.

In the Ultimate round of the competition, Riyo was asked by Nina Garcia, Elle’s fashion director, to tell about one lesson of childhood that still affects her present day life. In response to this Riyo said that she has been dancing since her childhood and hence she was surrounded by teachers and students constantly. Due to their interactions, She has learned to be patient, happy and positive in all aspects of her life.

Mori was bestowed the title of Miss Universe by the organizers based on the scores given to her by the honorable judges. With her victory in the Miss Universe pageant 2007 Riyo Mori became the second woman of Japan to hold the coveted title. The first Miss Universe of Japan was Akiko Kojima who received this title in 1959. Mori is the 11th Asian woman to win the Miss Universe pageant and the most recent one after Lara Dutta of India who won the Miss Universe title in 2000.

Riyo is the 3rd Japanese woman to get into top 5 at the Miss Universe competition in the past 5 years. Miyako Miyazaki was the 4th runner-up at Miss Universe 2003, and Riyo's predecessor Kurara Chibana was the first runner-up in 2006. Riyo has aimed to use her grand success & popularity for humanitarian causes.

After receiving the honour, Riyo traveled to Spain, Indonesia, the Bahamas, China, Mexico, St. Kitts and Nevis, Canada, Germany, France, Russia, Vietnam, and Italy in addition to her numerous trips to her hometown Japan.Mori has crowned Miss Universe 2008 to Venezuelian Dayana Mendoza with a 120,000 U.S. dollars tiara on July 14th, 2008 in Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Riyo currently acts in Donald Trump's new MTV reality show Pageant Place along with Miss USA 2007 Rachel Smith, former Miss Teen USA 2006 Katie Blair and Miss Teen USA 2007 Hilary Cruz. This show started on 10th October, 2007.

Mori revealed her future plans to establish a multi-cultural dance school in Tokyo. Mori has also expressed her interest in the role of Yaeko on the television series Heroes.

I was born December 24, 1986 in Aoi-ku, Shizuoka, Japan) I'm a Japanese dance instructor who won the Miss Universe 2007 title in May 2007. I began dancing at the age of 4. I studied at Quinte Ballet School of Canada and also is a graduate of Centennial Secondary School in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. I'm still in posession of mt first ballet shoes. I was crowned Miss Universe Japan on 15 March 2007 and I was crowned by outgoing titleholder Kurara Chibana. As Japan's representative in the Miss Universe 2007 pageant, Mori I 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, I was announced as one of fifteen semi-finalists who would move forward to compete for the title. I achieved the highest score in the swimsuit competition, which advanced me to the top ten and the evening gown competition, in which I placed fourth. In the last round, I was asked by ELLE Magazine fashion director and Project Runway judge, Nina Garcia, to speak about something she learned in past but benefited from also in youth. I said that since childhood I was dancing and hence I am always surrounded by students. Due to interactions with them, I have become happy, positive and patient. I was crowned Miss Universe 2007 by outgoing titleholder Zuleyka Rivera of Puerto Rico at the conclusion of the competition, so I 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. I am the ninth Asian woman to win the pageant, the most recent being Lara Dutta of India who was Miss Universe 2000. I was the third Japanese woman to place in the top five at Miss Universe in the past five years. Miyako Miyazaki placed fourth runner-up at Miss Universe 2003, and Mori's predecessor Kurara Chibana was first runner-up in 2006.