The reunion took place eight years after the controversial crowning!
Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach surprised the pageant world after posting her reunion with pageant sister and assumed rival Ariadna Gutierrez of Colombia during the Milan Fashion Week.
The 64th edition of Miss Universe carries a controversial weight after host Steve Harvey announced the wrong winner back then.
Screengrab: Miss Universe 2015
Ariadna was first proclaimed as the Miss Universe but was later then stripped off of the title after an apologetic Harvey went back to the stage to rectify the error. Pia, who was hailed as first runner-up, was then announced as the official winner.
Eight years after the fiasco, Pia then uploaded on Instagram a photo of her with Ariadna on a street of Milan, Italy—a photo that truly shook the entire pageant community.
The caption reads, “The reunion you’ve all been waiting for. [wink emoji]”
Ariadna’s elation is just as high, as she left a comment that reads: “almost 8 years.”
In her own account, Ariadna also uploaded two IG stories with Pia. The first one reads: “It’s been almost 8 years since the last time we were together. [heart emoji] so happy to see you again @piawurtzbach.”
The next one goes, “When time makes sure you meet the right people once again.”
Among the many who recognized the rarity of the photo are Miss Universe titleholders Andrea Meza of Mexico (2021), Iris Mittenaere of France (2016), and Demi Leigh Peters-Tebow of South Africa (2017).
Other beauty queens have also expressed their joy over the reunion, including Pia and Ariadna’s second runner-up Olivia Jordan of U.S.A.
READ ALSO: How Pia Wurtzbach Enjoys Snacking During Travels While Keeping Herself In Shape
After the Miss Universe 2015 fiasco
2015 has seen rage permeate between Filipinos and Colombians that even in the succeeding editions of Miss Universe, the two countries seem to fight more cutthroat than the rest of the participants.
Add to that were some of the testaments from Ariadna who came off distasteful for Filipinos.
In an online interview, Ariadna says she did not really see Pia often during the pre-pageant activities, which prompted her to underestimate the eventual winner.
As she puts it, “I actually saw her twice during the competition, once at the dining area and during rehearsals. But a person like a… a ghost!
“You see her and never again, like the exit signs! Nobody saw her,” she says in Spanish, as translated by pageant portal Pageanthology 101.
Such a statement was taken heavily by Pia’s fans, which then compelled Ariadna to rectify her words.
An IG user then defended Ariadna, to which she responds with, “Exactly what I said but [People] don’t ever understand what I said… I feel so sad for the super nice [Filipinos] I’ve met in my life. They are not like this.”
READ ALSO: The Philippines’ Unique Miss Universe Streak Stays Alive
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