Vanessa Carreira, a dazzling beauty from South Africa was first named as the Third runner up of Miss Universe 2002. But things changed and Vanessa became the second runner up due to the withdrawal  of Miss Universe crown from the then-reigning winner Oxana Fedorova for not fulfilling the duties stipulated in her contract.

Native of Boksburg in Gauteng, Vanessa earned a Bachelors degree in Arts and Communication with honours from University of South Africa. Now a budding novelist, eventually she wants to own an advertising agency.

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