Who is Jennifer Colón, Puerto Rico’s contestant at Miss Universe 2024?

Puerto Rican Jennifer Colón Alvarado is one of a record 127 contestants vying for the Miss Universe tiara this week, as Mexico City hosts the 73rd edition of the global beauty contest.

Meet Jennifer Colón, Miss Puerto Rico

Colón booked her ticket to Mexico in July, when she was crowned Miss Universe Puerto Rico. Aged 37, she is among the beneficiaries of this year’s rule change by the Miss Universe Organization, which now allows all women over the age of 18 to take part in the pageant. Previously, the MUO had limited participation to contestants aged between 18 and 28.

According to her biography on the Miss Universe Puerto Rico website, Colón was born in Hartford, Connecticut, but moved with her parents to Orocovis, Puerto Rico, when she was just a few months old.

A mother of three, Colón works as an aesthetician and iridologist, having studied at the Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico and the Universidad Politécnica de Puerto Rico.

As a student, she broke into modelling, emerging as a regular participant in major beauty contests. Prior to her summer triumph in Puerto Rico’s Miss Universe qualifier, Colón also took part in Miss Teen Puerto Rico 2006 and Miss Puerto Rico Universe 2009, and went to Miss World 2009 after winning that year’s Miss World Puerto Rico.

At Miss Universe Puerto Rico four months ago, Colón not only made history as the contest’s oldest ever victor, but also became the first mother to win the event. Until 2022, the MUO did not allow women with children to enter.

“Jennifer Colón Alvarado is a courageous woman who believes in giving herself second and third chances,” reads the MUO’s profile of the contestant. “As a medical aesthetician, iridologist, and queen, she focuses on enhancing people’s self-esteem. As an ambassador, she is determined to continue breaking stereotypes.”

When is Miss Universe 2024?

The 127-woman Miss Universe field is to be whittled down to 30 during a preliminary competition on Thursday November 14, before the remaining contenders battle it out in the grand final on Saturday November 16.

Viewers in the US will be able to watch the final show, which is scheduled to air from 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT, live on the Roku Channel (English-language coverage) and on Telemundo (Spanish-language coverage).

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