Bulgarian Beauty Claims Fourth Prize in Miss USA Pageant

Bulgarian beauty Laura Chukanov has claimed fourth position in the Miss USA 2009 competition held late Sunday in Las Vegas.

During what was one of the most watched live TV events in the US this year a star-studded panel of judges chose Miss North Carolina USA, Kristen Dalton, as Miss USA 2009. This year the Miss USA pageant took place in the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Las Vegas.

Throughout the two-hour event, the contestants competed in three categories: swimsuit, evening gown and interview. During these competitions, the "Top Five" finalists were selected before the crowning in front of an estimated worldwide viewing audience of more than 250 million.

Chukanov, who is Miss Utah USA 2009 represented the Beehive state in the prestigious pageant, she impressed the judges and reacted happily at being announced fourth.

Chukanov went to Salt Lake City, US from Sofia, Bulgaria, when she was a 4-year-old girl. Her father is a scientist who was invited to California for research purposes. His work then brought him and his family to Utah in the early 1990s.

"My parents used to say that they want me and my brother to have better opportunities. They never stop telling me how beautiful Bulgaria is and my mother is often sad because all her relatives are there. Still I have better chances to do something with my life here, in the United States. I would have never been able to be Miss Utah if I had stayed in Bulgaria," Laura explained in a recent interview for Darik Radio.

Asked whether she would like to return to Bulgaria one day, Laura said she definitely would want to do that even though she doesn't know for how long.

"My heart is in Bulgaria. I really want to go back to Bulgaria, but I am not sure whether I will decide to live there."