"And Miss World 2008 is Russia," announced Julia Morley, head of the Miss World committee that organises the event.

The second runner up was Gabriel Walcott of Trinidad and Tobago and the first runner up Parvathay Omanakuttan of India.

The eyes of the world were on one stage when Kseniya Sukhinovia from Russia was crowned Miss World in a glittering, star-studded ceremony at the Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg, the City of Gold.

The 2008 Miss World Festival, a record breaking year in the number of contestants taking part, has seen 109 beautiful and talented contestants spend an unforgettable month in South Africa. However, there could only be one winner and the applause rang out in the packed Convention Centre as Julia Morley, Chairman of the Miss World Organisation and of the international panel of judges, announced the winnerâ??s name. 
Kseniya Sukhoinova smile spoke a thousand words to a worldwide TV audience of over 2 billion as she was crowned by last year`s Miss World, Zilin Zhang.
First runner-up was Trinidad and Tobago followed by India as second runner-up. The other two finalists were South Africa and Angola.

The Final opened with 14 minutes of African music and dance and the contestants walking on to stage wearing their dresses designed by African Fashion. The opening sequence ended with local schoolchildren carrying all of the representative countries` flags onto the stage.

The TV spectacular was hosted by top Chinese TV presenter Angela Chow, presenting Miss World for the sixth year in succession, alongside co-host South African celebrity, Tumisho Masha, making his Miss World Final debut.

The show told the story of the contestants` stay in South Africa, with video clips of their activities and sightseeing, including their exciting trip to Safari, Mpulanga and the dazzling Indian Ocean and white beaches of Durban. 
With an amazing stage and lighting and performances from international record-breaking band McFly, singing `Smile` and `Lies`, a mid tempo rocker and UK pop sensation Alisha Dixon singing her latest single `The boy does nothing`, the 58th Miss World Final was one of the most spectacular to date.
Miss World â?? The Final is the Worldâ??s largest live annual TV event with global viewing figures topping two billion. This year the 58th Final was broadcast in 187 countries and 373 TV stations.

She is originally from Changanacherry - Kottayam, Kerala and now lives in Mumbai,  Her hobbies include: Listening to music, dancing, glass painting, reading, playing basketball and badminton.

She follows the lineage set by many Malayalis in the history of the pageant like Shweta Vijay (Femina Miss India Earth 2003), Annie Thomas (Femina Miss India Universe 1998), Nafisa Joseph (Femina Miss India Universe 1997), Mini Menon (Femina Miss India Asia Pacific 1996) and Shweta Menon (Femina Miss India 1994 2nd Runner Up).

She is originally from Changanacherry - Kottayam, Kerala and now lives in Mumbai, Her hobbies include: Listening to music, dancing, glass painting, reading, playing basketball and badminton

Peppy performance 
Soon after the jury was announced, 109 beauties begin to groove to the tunes of a musical band. The ladies are looking sensuous in real short-numbers. Five major colours that rule the ramp include fuschia pink, turquoise, yellow, red and orange. 

The hosts & the jury 
Hosts for the evening Tumisho Masha and Angela Chow, are looking great in black tuxedo and a gorgeous golden gown, respectively. 

The panel of judges include: Albin Beart (France), Andre Sleigh (Taiwan), Fahad Khan (Pakistan), H.K. Lee (China), Jimmy Steele (Canada), Jean Vandecasteele (Belgium), Martina Aubrechtova (Czech R.), Marjukka Nieminen (Finland), Jose Cinqueterra (Philippines), Sean Spurrier (South Africa), David Iza (Mexico), EJ Toledo (Puerto Rico), Josi Watkins (Ghana), Marcelo Stein (Argentina), Carmen Wu (Hong Kong), Arturo Gallo (Spain), Roberto Rodriguez (Costa Rica) and Patrick Tripoldi (USA) 

The action begins 
The much-awaited event opened in grandeur with a splendid show by a bunch of dazzling dancers. The beauties from across the world have started sashaying down the ramp in alluring evening gowns. Miss India World, Parvathy Omanakuttan is looking gracious in a scintillating red dress. 

Miss World 2008: Curtain raiser 
More than 100 international beauties are primping and preening in the final anxious moments before the Miss World pageant begins tonight. The event this time is hosted by South Africa for an expected one billion-strong TV audience. 

South African and Jamaican designers have created racks of dresses for the women, aged 17 to 25, who have spent a gruelling month in galas, rehearsals and even a safari on the tip of the African continent. 

Contestants from the eight countries participating in the FIFA Confederation Cup, taking place in South Africa in June as a warm-up for the 2010 World Cup, also joined in the draw for their teams. 

The event, which begins at 2030 hours (IST), has a special focus on song, dance and music, and includes a high-tech twist with an online competition where viewers can vote for their favourite beauty. 

The winner of the online vote will go directly to the semi-final round, where Miss Barbados, Miss Mexico, Miss Russia and Miss Iceland have already secured spots by winning special competitions in the run-up to the big show. 

An international jury will decide on the next Miss World, who will succeed China's Zhang Zi Lin, who was crowned last year when the pageant was held in her home country.