MANILA, Philippines – Pia Wurtzbach has begun her first official day as the 64th Miss Universe.
To begin her reign, Pia made media rounds and appeared in US morning shows such as “Good Morning America” and “Live! With Michael and Kelly” on Monday.
READ: Pia starts official Miss U duties
“It was very exciting. Of course, I wanted to win. I joined Miss Philippines three times just to earn the sash that says Philippines. And of course, I want to win Miss Universe,” she told “Good Morning America” host Lara Spencer when asked about her Miss Universe experience.
Pia added, “In the Philippines, it's a big deal. It's been 42 years since we last won, so everybody's been anticipating to finally get the crown. And we finally did it.”
The 26-year-old beauty queen made international headlines for her win in the Miss Universe pageant last year after show host Steve Harvey mistakenly announced Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez as the winner.
Former Miss Universe owner Donald Trump suggested that the pageant name Pia and Ariadna as co-winners.
When asked about this, Pia said, “I think it would be a little bit difficult for two girls to share the crown.”
“But I have high hopes that this would give great opportunities for me and Miss Colombia and the rest of the contestants,” she said.
Nonetheless, Pia said she is sure Ariadna “will do very well” after the pageant and the controversy. She also revealed greeting the Colombian beauty queen on her birthday last December 25.
“I understand how she feels. I'm also concerned with her. And I know she's a beautiful young lady. Very talented. And I think that she'll have other opportunities,” she said.
Pia also recalled her experience during the Miss Universe pageant in her interview with Kelly Ripa and Michael Strahan of the US morning show “Live! With Michael and Kelly!”
“When I was announced as the first runner-up initially, I was just thinking to myself, 'Okay, I made it this far, I'm pretty sure I made the country proud and that's good enough for me',” she shared. “But when he announced that I was in fact the winner, of course I was even more excited.”
She added, “I mean, I joined Miss Universe because I wanted to win. And I finally got it. I took me a long time to get here.”
Revealing that she spent the holidays in New York City for the first time, Kelly and Michael asked Pia what she did on New Year’s Eve.
“I did something touristy, as they say. I watched the ball drop,” she said.
LOOK: Pia Wurtzbach teases 1st photo shoot as Miss Universe
The ball drop is the Times Square Ball, a popular holiday event located in New York City's Time Square. Here, the ball descends down a special flagpole at 11:59 p.m. on December 31, resting at midnight to signal the start of the New Year.
“I was very close to it. I could see it. And I was watching. And I was thinking, 'At which part does it actually drop?' I was waiting for it. And while we were doing the countdown, because I was looking at the clock instead, I didn't realize where the ball went 'till afterwards. I had review my video to find out what happened to the ball,” Pia quipped.