Why try other pageants: Catriona Gray recalls 'eating pride' from Miss World to Miss Universe

MANILA, Philippines — Like Pia Wurtzbach, who joined Binibining Pilipinas thrice before bagging the crown and eventually winning Miss Universe 2015, Catriona Gray admitted that it was not easy for her to swallow her pride and join Binibining Pilipinas after falling short to take home a Miss World title in 2016.

During her recent virtual launch for her single “R.Y.F,” Catriona shared her fears and doubts about joining Miss Universe in 2018, now that Binibining Pilipinas 2021 is just around the corner and she will co-host it with Nicole Cordoves on July 7.

“There was so much doubt and fear that I would not make it,” she recalled when she was just about to submit her application for Binibini.

"Will I even get in as a candidate? Will I even get the crown of Miss Universe? Or will I even get another title? It was an incredibly humbling experience for me.”

But then, again, Catriona realized that she should join Binibini, even if she already placed as a Top 5 finalist in Miss World, to achieve a higher purpose than the crown.

“I realized that I could use it as an opportunity to use it as a platform to speak about things I care about. I felt that I was meant to be there.”

She said she didn’t want to live her life having fear and regret for not trying. She admitted that she prepared herself to cry once more if she lost.

She did not lose but she cried, nonetheless.

“My heart was searching for that feeling again… and I didn’t fail again but I just can’t help myself to still cry.”

Likewise, she urged everyone, including other pageant queens hesitant to join another pageant, to never stop trying while they still can.

“Keep going! Please don’t give up. It won’t give justice for you to give up because you were meant to have a huge space and have a huge voice. It would be just a pity one day if you have given up on yourself,” she said.

“I encourage you that even though you come across those challenges or you come across people who put you down, who try to silence you, if you just continue to work towards what you want to do and keep learning, then your efforts will not be in vain. Whether you end up in that destination you set yourself to or whether it becomes different, and that happens, I think that it’s still considered success.”

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