Miss Colombia Andrea Tovar finished second runner-up at Miss Universe 2016. In 2015, her predecessor Ariadna Gutierrez controversially finished first runner-up to Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.
Tovar is a student at the Jorge Tadeo Lozano University in Bogotá, Colombia, taking up Industrial Design and Photographic Image Production. Her father is a physician while her mother is a business manager.
It appears that the third crown for Colombia is playing hard to get. The first Miss Colombia to win Miss Universe was Luz Marina Zuluaga, who was crowned in 1958, and the second one was Paulina Vega, who won in 2014.
Wurtzbach crowned Miss France Iris Mittenaere as her successor on Jan. 30, Monday, at the Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay, Metro Manila, Philippines. Miss Haiti Raquel Pelissier was first runner-up.
The musical performers during the coronation night were Flo Rida and Boys II Men. The judging panel included Miss Universe 1993 Dayanara Torres from Puerto Rico, Miss Universe 1994 Sushmita Sen from India, Miss Universe 2011 Leila Lopes from Angola, TV and film producer Francine LeFrak, Paper Magazine editorial director Mickey Boardman and "The Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Cynthia Bailey.
Steve Harvey returned as the host of the coronation night with "America's Next Top Model" judge Ashley Graham as the backstage host. The former arrived in Manila on Jan. 28, Saturday, ABS-CBN News reported.
United States president Donald Trump sent a message to Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte through officials of the Miss Universe Organization, Rappler has learned. Duterte acknowledged the message and thanked Miss Universe Organization president Paula Shugart, who she mistakenly identified as Miss USA 2016, a title that belongs to Deshauna Barber.
On Jan. 18, Wurtzbach participated in a dinner program in Baguio City, Philippines, which was hosted by Miss Universe 2011 third runner-up Shamcey Supsup. Distinguished people of the city welcomed them along with Shugart, Miss Universe 2016 host committee chairman Chavit Singson, and some Miss Universe 2016 candidates including Mittenaere, Pelissier and Tovar.
Have a glimpse of the Miss Universe 2016 event in Baguio here:
