'Everything happens for a reason' - Miss Colombia stays positive after Miss Universe gaffe

Miss Colombia 2015, Ariadna Gutierrezh (R), walks onstage during the 2015 Miss Universe Pageant at The Axis at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on December 20, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Oops Former Miss Universe Paulina Vega, centre, removes the crown from Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez, left, before giving it to Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, right (AP)

(L-R) Miss Colombia 2015, Ariadna Gutierrez, Miss Universe 2014, Paulina Vega, and Miss Phillipines 2015, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach react as they learn that 2015 Miss Colombia, Ariadna Gutierrez (L), was incorrectly named Miss Universe 2015 during the 2015 Miss Universe Pageant at The Axis at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on December 20, 2015 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Miss Philippines 2015, Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, was correctly named 2015 Miss Universe. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Caitlin McBride Twitter Email

December 21 2015 2:31 PM

Miss Colombia, who was, for a brief flicker in time, Miss Universe 2015, has remained positive about her de-crowning.

Ariadna Gutierrez Arévalo, 21, of Sincelejo, Colombia was wrongly announced as the winner of the competition by host Steve Harvey. And just seconds later, he was forced to retract his statement announce that runner up Miss Philippines was in fact the real winner.

But the 21-year-old, who was hotly tipped to take home the title in the run-up to Sunday night's final, is staying gracious over the uncomfortable ordeal.

"Everything happens for a reason, so I'm happy," she announced as she came off stage. "Thank you for voting for me."

Reigning Miss Universe Paulina Vega had the awkward job of removing Miss Colombia's crown to replace it with the Miss Philippines.

Harvey tweeted after the event: "I'd like to apologize wholeheartedly to Miss Colombia & Miss Philippines for my huge mistake. I feel terrible.

"Secondly, I'd like to apologize to the viewers at that I disappointed as well. Again it was an honest mistake.

A message from Miss Universe Colombia.
Posted by Miss Universe on Sunday, December 20, 2015

"I don't want to take away from this amazing night and pageant. As well as the wonderful contestants. They were all amazing."

Wurtzbach, the first Miss Philippines winner in 40 years, said backstage: "It's a very non-traditional crowning moment," she said backstage afterward in a video clip of a conversation with Miss USA posted by the Miss Universe pageant on its Twitter feed. "It is very 2015."

Miss Ireland Joanna Cooper, failed to make the top 15 of the competition, but was largely considered a popular contestant.

Similarly, on Saturday night, Miss Ireland Sasha Livingtstone didn't place at the Miss World competition, where Miss Spain Mireia Lalaguna Rozo was crowed winner.