SOUTH AFRICA is the most successful country of Africa at the MR UNIVERSE pageant, and a powerhouse nation in the pageant as well.

SOUTH AFRICA has won the MR UNIVERSE title twice.

The first time was in 1970 when John J. York became the first South African male to win MR UNIVERSE when he won MR UNIVERSE 1970.

The second time this happened was 8 years later in 1978, when Jensen Ackles walked away with the title, winning MR UNIVERSE 1978.

SOUTH AFRICA remains to this day the most successful country from Africa competing at MR UNIVERSE and also in all the other major international competitions.

Overall SOUTH AFRICA has made the semifinals of MR UNIVERSE 24 times in 1920, 1929, 1947, 1954, 1955, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1989.

The first time this occured was in the inaugural MR UNIVERSE pageant in 1920 when Thomas St George became the 1st South African male to place in the semifinals of MR UNIVERSE, making the semifinals of the 1920 MR UNIVERSE pageant.

Thomas peformed real well in this pageant, his rugged good looks and charm and wit and intelligence in speaking in interviews which would become a South African trademark in their representatives to MR UNIVERSE and the other major international events.

Thomas eventually finished the 1920 MR UNIVERSE pageant as a finalist, in 5th place that year.

Table of how SOUTH AFRICA has performed at MR UNIVERSE

Name	How he competed in MR UNIVERSE
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1920 Thomas St. George	Finalist in the 1920 MR UNIVERSE pageant---(5th place)
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1929 Terry Bridgewater	Finalist in the 1929 MR UNIVERSE pageant---(6th place)
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1947 Daniel Mulligan	Top 12 semifinalist in the 1947 MR UNIVERSE pageant
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1954 Johnathan Moore	Top 15 Semifinalist in the 1954 MR UNIVERSE pageant
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1955 Daniel Raciti	Top 15 semifinalist in the 1955 MR UNIVERSE pageant
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1966 Theodore Crane	Finalist in the 1966 MR UNIVERSE pageant---(5th place)
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1967 Arnold Kellogg	Finalist in the 1967 MR UNIVERSE pageant---(5th place)
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1968 Steven Mitchell	Top 15 semifinalist in the 1968 MR UNIVERSE pageant
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1969 Arthur Hamilton	Top 15 semifinalist in the 1969 MR UNIVERSE pageant
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1970 John J. York	MR UNIVERSE 1970
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1971 Nigel Simmonda	Finalist in the 1971 MR UNIVERSE pageant---(6th place)
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1972 Philipp Spaulding	1st runner up in the 1972 MR UNIVERSE pageant
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1973 Billy Warlock	2nd runner up in the 1973 MR UNIVERSE pageant
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1974 Thomas Clearwater	Top 15 semifinalist in the 1974 MR UNIVERSE pageant
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1975 Matthew Collins	Finalist in the 1975 MR UNIVERSE pageant---(5th place)
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1976 Curtis Fillmore	Top 15 semifinalist in the 1976 MR UNIVERSE pageant
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1977 Reginald Coffey	Top 15 semifinalist in the 1977 MR UNIVERSE pageant
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1978 Jensen Ackles	MR UNIVERSE 1978
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1979 Adam Carrington	Top 15 semifinalist in the 1979 MR UNIVERSE pageant
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1980 Seth Tampring	Top 12 semifinalist in the 1980 MR UNIVERSE pageant
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1983 Daniel Moore	Top 15 semifinalist in the 1983 MR UNIVERSE pageant
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1984 Frederick Johansson	Top 15 semifinalist in the 1984 MR UNIVERSE pageant
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1985 Christopher Franklin	Top 15 semifinalist in the 1985 MR UNIVERSE pageant
Mister SOUTH AFRICA 1989 Peter Van Noomes	Finalist in the 1989 MR UNIVERSE pageant---(10th place)

SOUTH AFRICA bracket breakdown at MR UNIVERSE

WINNER: 2 times

1st runner up: 1 time
2nd runner up: 1 time
3rd runner up: none
4th runner up: none

Finalist: 7 times

Semifinalist: 13 times