(AP Photo/Bullit Marquez) ORG XMIT: XBM141

Miss France Iris Mittenaere is crowned the Miss Universe 2016 by Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach of the Philippines in coronation Monday, Jan. 30, 2017, at the Mall of Asia in suburban Pasay city, south of Manila, Philippines. Iris Mittenaere from the small town of Lille in northern France said in reply to a final question from pageant host Steve Harvey that she would be honored if she just landed among the three finalists, but was visibly stunned when she was announced the winner among the field of 86 contestants. When you fail, you have to be elevated, and you have to try again and keep going … I have failed before, but for me, this is the great first opportunity.”

Miss Haiti, Raquel Pelissier, who ended up as the first runner-up of the pageant spoke about the devastating 2010 earthquake that destroyed her island. Pellissier said her surviving Haiti’s quake that officials in her country estimated to have killed more than 300,000 people and displaced more than 1.5 million others and her pageant success underscores her rise from adversity because she “chose to be a very positive person and learned a great lesson from it.”

“If I am here today, it is because I am living my dreams,” said Pelissier, who is taking a Master’s degree in Optometry research.
Iris Mittenaere, winner of Miss France 2016, is crowned as the winner of Miss Universe 2016 at a ceremony in the Philippines.