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SCREEN CAPTURE
Catriona Gray was dubbed the Miss Universe Monday. |
MISS PHILIPPINES, Catriona Gray, was named Miss Universe 2018 on Monday in Bangkok, besting contestants from 93 other countries and delighting her home nation.
Gray and first runner-up Tamaryn Green of South Africa held hands as they awaited Stevve Harvey's announcement of the winner. Lo and behold, Harvey got it right!
The last time Miss Philippines won the contest in 2015, he announced the wrong woman.
"My heart is filled with so much gratitude," Gray said. "There were moments of doubt where I felt overwhelmed and I felt the pressure."
Gray, 24, impressed the judges with her response to the question: "What is the most important lesson you've learned in your life, and how would you apply it to your time as Miss Universe?" She responded:
“I work a lot in the slums of Tondo, Manila and the life there is… it’s poor and very sad,” said Gray during the question and answer session. “And I’ve always taught myself to look for the beauty of it, to look for beauty in the faces of the children and to be grateful. And I would bring this aspect as a Miss Universe, to see situations with a silver lining, and to assess where I could give something, where I could provide something as a spokesperson. If I could teach also people to be grateful, we could have an amazing world where negativity could not grow and foster, and children would have a smile on their faces. Thank you.”
Gray wore a sparkling red dress she said was inspired by a volcano in the Philippines as she was handed the crown to the delight of a roaring crowd in Bangkok.
Gray's father is Australian, and she was born and grew up in Cairns, Australia. She moved to the Philippines at age 18 to pursue a modeling career.
Catriona went to school at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. She received a degree in Music Theory and is also a singer.
In an Instagram post, 2015's Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach wrote a message to her fellow Filipina beauty queen for making the Philippines proud this year. Catriona is the fourth Filipina to be hailed as Miss Universe.
She said, "This girl is on fire! You started strong and captured our hearts with your grace, commitment and fearlessness! And that walk...how could anyone forget that walk? Now, you've conquered the Universe!"
Ahh, the walk! It got the attention of supermodel Tyra Banks, who retweeted the clip and added some America’s Next Top Model–esque commentary. “Pinoy power to the max!” tweeted Banks. “You did it! And that walk and confidence? I mean ... next-level fierce!”
The Philippines previously won Miss Universe titles in 2015, 1973 and 1969. Highlights of her performance is below:
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