Gladys Zender
| Beauty pageant titleholder | |
| Born |
Gladys Rosa Zender Urbina October 19, 1939 Lima, Peru |
|---|---|
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Weight | 56.5 kg (125 lb) |
| Measurements | 91-60-91 (36-23.5-36) |
| Hair color | Black |
| Eye color | Brown |
| Title(s) |
Miss Peru 1957 Miss Universe 1957 |
| Major competition(s) |
Miss Peru 1957 (Winner) Miss Universe 1957 (Winner) |
Gladys Rosa Zender de Meier (née Zender Urbina; born October 19, 1939) is a Peruvian model and beauty queen who became the first Latin American woman to win the Miss Universe title. She was crowned Miss Peru Universe 1957 by Miss Peru Universe 1956, Lola Sabogal Morzán.
Born to a Swiss father and a Peruvian mother, she won the title of Miss Universe 1957 in Long Beach, California, United States.
After being crowned, it was revealed that she was only 17 years old, a few months under the contest's minimum age requirement. Pageant officials decided that she could keep the crown, after they were told she was considered to be 18 in Peru. That same year, Miss USA, Mary Leona Gage, was stripped of her title and disqualified from the semifinals of the Miss Universe pageant after it was revealed she was a married mother of two children. Miss Argentina, Mónica Lamas, replaced her as one of the 15 semifinalists.
Zender became an instant celebrity.
Zender married Antonio Meier in 1965, and secluded herself into a family life; they had four children together. Their son, Christian Meier, is a well-known actor and singer in Peru and has achieved some fame in other Latin American countries.
In 2003, Zender allowed Caretas to photograph her (and Meier's) home showcasing various artifacts, including a collection of Incan art, the couple have acquired through their years together.
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Wikipedia