Dari Maximova, the 18-year-old beauty hailing from Germany was named yesterday night FORD Models Supermodel of the World 2002.

Maximova beat out 53 contestants from countries around the world to take home a $250,000 modeling contract at the 22nd anniversary of the
competition, held in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Maximova says she never considered modeling as a career until a scout
approached her one day as she walked down the street in her native Berlin.

"Now I'm doing it, and I like it!" says the enthusiastic beauty. She says she adores Germany's summers, landscape and brown sauce and dumplings. Maximova will realize her dream of traveling the world now that she has taken her place as the 22nd winner of FORD Models Supermodel of the World 2002.

The evening's judges included model Patricia Velasquez, music industry exec Miles Copeland, MAC representative Bianca Alexander, Seventeen magazine Beauty and Fitness Director Diana Byrne, Universal International Television executive Chris Philip, Creative and Field Training Director of L'Oreal, Theodore Perry, who joined host Brian McFayden, special performer Luis Fonsi and all the major players at FORD Models, including founders Eileen and Jerry Ford, President and CEO of Ford Models, Katie Ford and President of Ford Europe, Jean Michel Prawidlo.

Other winners for the evening included Liliane Ferrarezi, 14, from Brazil,
Nicole Trunfio, 16, from Australia, Pauline, 17, from France and Anne Klitten, 17, from Denmark. All received contracts with Ford Models for amounts of $150,000, $100,000, $75,000 and $50,000, respectively.