Miss Grand Panama’s moment stolen by awkward host blunder
Miss Grand Panama shocked as spotlight goes to rival
A shocking slip-up left Miss Grand Panama, Isamar Herrera, red-faced and heartbroken on the world stage in Bangkok, Thailand.
The 31-year-old beauty queen was poised to claim her moment among the 22 finalists for Miss Grand International on October 18.
But disaster struck when host Matthew Deane mistakenly announced the wrong country.
Herrera, beaming with pride, stepped forward to strike a ten-second pose, only to be cut off mid-glamour as Deane quickly backtracked.
“Aaah, I beg your pardon, I announced Miss Grand Paraguay,” he stammered, sending an awkward silence rippling through the crowd.
Fans watching the viral moment were quick to sympathise, with many noting the similarity in country names.
“Panama, Canada, Paraguay, sound the same, don’t condemn her,” one viewer wrote.
Others suggested a possible language barrier had added to the confusion.
Cecilia Romero of Paraguay eventually took the spotlight, while Herrera was left to retreat, missing out on a place among the finalists.
The 22 lucky contestants included representatives from Belgium, Brazil, Colombia, France, Japan, Thailand, the United States and more.
Social media rallied behind Herrera, praising her poise and wishing her better luck next time.
“You were impeccable every time you came out, and you deserved the classification. I’m sure better things will happen,” one supporter commented.
Who won Miss Grand International 2024?
Miss Grand International 2024 was Rachel Gupta from India, who later resigned, and the title passed to Christine Juliane Opiaza from the Philippines.
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