The mishap happened when Miss Panama Isamar Herrera at Saturday’s Miss Grand International misheard host Matthew Deane as he named Miss Paraguay Cecilia Romero as the contestant who’d made the cut.
Footage that has now gone viral shows Herrera happily pumping her fists in the air and walking to the front of the stage to join the finalists, while Deane suddenly paused between names.
Miss Panama’s awkward mix-up viral
Miss Panama Isamar Herrera mistakenly walked forward when the host announced Miss Paraguay as a finalist, apparently mishearing her country, Panama, had been called. The host corrected the error, and Herrera returned to her spot, later not being named one of the 22 finalists.
As he spoke, Herrera, who had moved to the front of the stage, turned gracefully and strutted back to her place with the poise of a runway model. However, when the list of finalists was finally announced, her name was notably absent. “I beg your pardon,” Deane said after a few moments. “I announced Miss Grand Paraguay.” Deane tried to smooth things over by adding, “There is a lot of noise in this hall, filled with fans from all over the world.
The incident quickly went viral online, with many social media users expressing sympathy for Herrera and suggesting a language barrier may have caused the misunderstanding.
ALSO READ: Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS surprises astronomers again: Mysterious cosmic visitor extends strange tendril toward the Sun
What did Miss Panama say?
Even after the misunderstanding, Herrera didn’t appear to be upset. “These things happen,” she later told The Daily Mail. “It was a mistake, and this is a competition. You have to know how to lose and recognize the triumph of others.” Herrera was described as “an entrepreneur and singer,” as well as “a dreamer and a student of Advertising and Marketing who firmly believes that with faith, discipline, and love, every goal can be achieved” in an Instagram post shared last month by the Miss Grand International pageant. “Guided by resilience and empathy, she treasures her family, friends, and every person who crosses her path.”
It continued, she “sees the crown as more than a symbol of beauty — it is a chance to inspire others and to show that limits do not exist when you fight with heart. Her mission is to be an example of overcoming adversity, reminding the world that true success comes from working with love, respect, and shining without dimming the light of others.” Emma Tiglao, Miss Grand Philippines, walked away with the crown this year.
