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Las Vegas — The Miss Universe contestant from the Philippines is this year's winner but for one brief moment Sunday evening, it appeared as if it might be a repeat win for Colombia.
Colombia contestant Ariadna Gutierrez Arevalo was already wearing the crown as this year's Miss Universe winner when host Steve Harvey returned to apologise.
Harvey says it was his mistake and that he would take responsibility for not reading the card correctly that named contestant Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach this year's winner and Colombia the first runner-up.
He said no one feels worse than he does about his mistake awarding Colombia the crown before Miss Universe.
Harvey spoke to reporters assembled at the Planet Hollywood hotel-casino where the pageant concluded with him awarding the crown to the wrong person.
Mark Shapiro of the pageant's new owner, WME ' IMG, says Harvey corrected the mistake on his own when he realised the error on air.
Both say it was human error.
A mystified Wurtzbach appeared stunned as she walked to the front of the stage alongside the crown-wearing Arevalo before last year's Miss Universe from Colombia removed the crown and placed it on Wurtzbach's head instead.
Watch the moment here:
The competition started with women representing 80 countries between the ages of 19 and 27. For the first time, viewers at home weighed in, with their votes being tallied in addition to four in-person celebrity judges.
Miss South Africa first princess Refilwe Mthimunye made the top 15.
Miss World also crowned over the weekend
It was the Miss World pageant this weekend as well where South African beauty, Rolene Strauss, handed over her crown to Miss Spain.
Current Miss South Africa, Liesl Laurie made it to the top 11.
(Photos: AFP)
