An incredibly awkward incident unfolded at a beauty pageant when a mix-up led to one contestant mistakenly believing she had advanced to the finals.
During the event in Bangkok, Thailand, on Saturday (October 18), 76 contestants stood on stage in shimmering gold sequin dresses as the host announced the 22 finalists for Miss Grand International.
Matthew Deane, the host, announced Paraguay’s contestant as a finalist, which prompted cheers and applause from the audience. In an enthusiastic response, Isamar Herrera mistakenly thought her name was called and made her way to the stage, visibly overjoyed.
However, as the 31-year-old confidently walked past her fellow participants, they watched in disbelief. Once she reached the platform, she posed for more than 10 seconds.
It wasn’t until nearly 30 seconds later that producers realized Herrera, representing Panama, had been confused with the contestant from Paraguay.
“I beg your pardon, I announced Miss Grand Paraguay,” Deane clarified once aware of the mistake.
He further explained: “There is a lot of noise in this hall, packed full of fans from all over the world.”
With evident embarrassment, Herrera had to awkwardly walk back past Cecilia Romero of Paraguay, whose moment was overshadowed by the error.
Subsequently, ten more contestants were announced, yet Herrera’s name was not among them.
The video shared on Twitter sparked reactions from viewers who felt the secondhand embarrassment.
One spectator commented: “Folks, I was watching at the time! What a blunder! The poor thing misunderstood, thought the name called was hers — mixed up Panama with Paraguay — and ended up going. But it wasn’t even the presenter’s fault, just a proper mix-up. What a moment!”
Another mentioned: “That kinda sucks, but got to listen to what is said, not what you want to hear.”
Some suggested a language barrier might have caused the confusion.
“Panama, Canada, Paraguay, sound the same, don’t condemn her,” commented another user.
According to Dia a Dia, Herrera explained the situation: “It was a mistake on my part, because I heard Panama. The same thing happened to Canada, who heard Canada.
“A live broadcast is one thing, and being behind the cameras, experiencing that moment, is another. We heard Panama’s name, and I reacted naturally.
“When I saw the camera approaching, I thought it was me. And well, that happened; nothing happened.”
Ultimately, Emma Mary Tiglao from the Philippines won the title of Miss Grand International, making history by winning for the second consecutive year.