Almost five years after the historic 2015 Miss Universe beauty pageant in Las Vegas, Nevada, first runner-up Ariadna Gutierrez of Colombia revealed she never really considered Miss Philippines Pia Wurtzbach as her rival to the prestigious crown.
"Actually, I just saw her (Pia) twice during the competition. Once at the dining area and during rehearsals. But a person (she is) like a ghost. You see her and never again…Nobody saw her. I used to go to the Latinas and we sat next to the Asians and I did not notice her. She was very solitary, too.
I did not notice her and when I did, I did not think of her as my competition, that is the truth," said Gutierrez on Facebook interview by Miss Universe 2017 first runner-up Laura Barjum of Colombia recently.
But there's a different translation of the interview on Gutierrez which also made the rounds of pageant websites.
"I saw Pia only twice in the group. She was like a ghost person. You see her once and you never see her again. Nobody would see her. I was among the Latino girls and beside Asians but even among Asians you couldn't see her. I did see her much and when I saw her I didn't think she was competent. Pia was rarely mingling with the other girls and couldn't really see her qualities until finals and didn't think she was going to win," the Colombian beauty queen said.
Former Miss Universe Bulgaria 2015 Radost Todorova defended Wurtzbach from the latest statement of Gutierrez.
Todorova's initial reaction: "Of course you didn't see her! I remember you were always laughing at us, at our clothes and jewelries, at our walks and talks … you were only with the other Latinas looking down on us!I stand behind my words and that's why we were all happy Pia won! You need to be beautiful inside and out, not only looking like a Victoria Secret model and act like the queen of England. You will never be unless you start acting like a decent human being."
Later Todorova posted her second reaction on Instagram. "I don't mean to offend anyone! But after five years still commenting on the winner this way…as if she was nobody? A ghost?!…I believe everybody will remember Miss Universe 2015! … exactly 2015! Pia! I remember all of the beautiful women as we became friends and not just opponents…we were speaking, smiling, and helping each feel good about ourselves. We were there to embrace beauty. True beauty! And it has nothing to do with how you look but how you make people feel around you. That's the beauty of being a beauty queen. Remember it because everybody can be a true queen. It's not the crown. It's your heart."
"Please stay healthy and stop cyber bullying! We don't need that! Especially in those hard times. Embrace love and peace!" the Bulgarian beauty queen said.
It would be recalled that there was a mix-up in the announcement of the winner at the 2015 Miss Universe beauty pageant. TV host Steve Harvey announced it was Miss Colombia who won the crown when in fact it was Miss Philippines.
Wurtzbach has not made any reaction to the latest interview of Gutierrez.