Alma Andrea Meza Carmona (Spanish pronunciation: [anˈdɾe.a meˈsa]; born 13 August 1994) is a Mexican beauty queen who was crowned Miss Universe 2020. She became the third Mexican contestant to win the title, and holds the record for the shortest complete reign in Miss Universe history to date.
Andrea Meza | |
|---|---|
 Meza in 2018 | |
| Born | Alma Andrea Meza Carmona 13 August 1994 |
| Alma mater | Autonomous University of Chihuahua (BS) |
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[1] |
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Title |
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| Major competition(s) |
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She previously won Mexicana Universal 2020 and Miss Mexico 2017, and finished as the first runner-up at Miss World 2017.
Early life and education
Alma Andrea Meza Carmona was born on 13 August 1994 in Chihuahua City, Mexico to parents Alma Carmona and Santiago Meza. She grew up in Chihuahua City as the eldest of three daughters, and is of partial Chinese ancestry.[2]
After completing secondary school, Meza enrolled at the Autonomous University of Chihuahua, where she studied software engineering.[3] She graduated with a degree in 2017 and began working in Mexico as a software engineer in addition to her career as a model.[1]
Pageantry
Miss Mexico 2017
Meza began her pageantry career in 2016, after she was selected to represent Chihuahua at Miss World Mexico 2016. Meza was one of the two contestants awarded a crown, being crowned as Miss Mexico 2017.[4] Ana Girault, representing Mexico City, was crowned Miss Mexico 2016 and given the opportunity to represent Mexico at Miss World 2016, while Meza was given the opportunity to represent Mexico at Miss World 2017. Additionally, Meza won the sports challenge at the competition.[4]
Miss World 2017
As the winner of Miss Mexico 2017, Meza represented Mexico at Miss World 2017, held on 18 November 2017 at Sanya City Arena in Sanya, China. During the pre-pageant activities, Meza won group 16 of the Head-to-Head Challenge, securing her direct entry into the top 40. Additionally, she placed as the fourth runner-up in the talent competition.[5][6]
In the finals of the competition, Meza reached the top five, and Julia Morley announced her as the first runner-up behind the winner, Manushi Chhillar from India.[7][8] Meza was also crowned Miss World Americas, placing her within the 2017 Miss World Continental Queens of Beauty.[9][10]
Mexicana Universal 2020
In 2020, Meza won Mexicana Universal Chihuahua 2020, and went on to represent Chihuahua at Mexicana Universal 2020, where she emerged as the winner. During the pre-pageant activities, Meza won six challenges, including the sports challenge. The final was held on 29 November 2020 in Querétaro City.[11][12][13]
Miss Universe 2020
As Mexicana Universal, Meza represented Mexico at Miss Universe 2020 and won the title, on 16 May 2021, at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood in Hollywood, Florida, after the event was postponed from late 2020 to May 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[14] Meza was crowned by the outgoing titleholder, Zozibini Tunzi of South Africa. She became the third Mexican woman to win the title, following Lupita Jones in 1991 and Ximena Navarrete in 2010.[15][16]
This marked Mexico's second consecutive year in the top three at Miss Universe, following Sofía Aragón, Mexicana Universal 2019, who finished as the second runner-up at Miss Universe 2019. Meza also surpassed Brook Lee's record of being the oldest contestant to win at the age of 26 years and 276 days.[17] However, this record was later broken during the Miss Universe 2022 competition when R'Bonney Gabriel won at the age of 28 years and 300 days.
As Miss Universe, Meza traveled to various cities within the United States,[18] South Africa,[19] the Bahamas,[20] Israel,[21] and her home country of Mexico.[22]
After her reign, Meza was succeeded as Mexicana Universal 2021 by Débora Hallal.[23]
References
- ^ a b "Los concursos han sido una plataforma de empoderamiento: Andrea Meza Carmona". Milenio (in Spanish). 20 March 2021. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ Rocha, Kika (21 May 2021). "Miss Universo Andrea Meza: nuestra reina". People en Español (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 22 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2021.
- ^ "Andrea MEZA, Mexico 2017". Miss World Official Website. Archived from the original on 25 February 2011. Retrieved 30 October 2020 – via missworld.com.
- ^ a b "Miss México 2016 and Miss México 2017". The Times of Beauty. 22 October 2016. Archived from the original on 14 June 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
- ^ "Did you know? Newly crowned Miss Universe Andrea Meza first joined Miss World". ABS-CBN Corporation. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "Miss World Indonesia 2017 dan Para Pemenang Miss World 2016-2017 kunjungi Museum Nasional Indonesia". Ministry of Education and Culture (Indonesia) & National Museum of Indonesia. 21 February 2018. Archived from the original on 2 February 2021. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
- ^ "Manushi Chhillar begins beauty with purpose tour in Hyderabad". The Times of India. 2 February 2018. Archived from the original on 23 December 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
- ^ "Miss World 2017 Manushi Chhillar's Press Meet in Mumbai". Free Press Journal. 28 November 2017. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
- ^ Ranjan, Richa (18 November 2017). "Manushi Chhillar crowned as Miss World 2017". Femina. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
- ^ "India's Manushi Chillar crowned 'Miss World 2017'". India TV. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
- ^ "Andrea Meza se corona como Mexicana Universal 2020". Diario Presente. Archived from the original on 11 December 2020. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
- ^ "Platicamos con Andrea Meza "Miss México"". Telemundo (in Spanish). 26 March 2021. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ ""No al acoso y a la violencia": Andrea Meza, lista para el Miss Universo" (in Spanish). Debate. 25 March 2021. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- ^ "Miss Universe competition to air live from Florida in May". Associated Press. 3 March 2021. Archived from the original on 4 March 2021.
- ^ Reilly, Kaitlin; Vulpo, Mike (16 May 2021). "Miss Mexico Andrea Meza Crowned Miss Universe 2021". E! News. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ Goldstein, Joelle (16 May 2021). "Miss Mexico Andrea Meza Wins Miss Universe 2020". Yahoo!. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
- ^ "Who Is Andrea Meza? From Miss World and Miss Mexico, the Journey to Her Miss Universe 2020 Win". queenly.com. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
- ^ "Videos". FOX 5 New York. 12 November 2021. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
- ^ Morkel, Compiled by Graye. "Reigning Miss Universe Andrea Meza to judge Miss South Africa 2021". Life. Archived from the original on 29 October 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
- ^ "Miss Universo. Andrea Meza y el bikini rosa que vas a querer en otoño". CHICMagazine (in Mexican Spanish). 30 October 2021. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
- ^ "Miss Universe talks about COVID-era reign on visit to Israel". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. 17 November 2021. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
- ^ "Miss Universe Comes Home to Make Mexico Smile". www.smiletrain.org. Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 2 February 2023.
- ^ "Debora Hallal selected as Mexicana Universal 2021 | Photogallery - ETimes". photogallery.indiatimes.com. Archived from the original on 20 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
External links
