In a historic ceremony held Saturday night at Kingston’s Douglas Orane Auditorium on the Wolmer’s Boys’ High School campus, 20-year-old University of the West Indies student Hannah Collings-Myers made history as the first titleholder of Miss Universe Jamaica Kingston & St Andrew.
Twenty-one aspiring beauty queens took the stage to compete for the inaugural crown, with Collings-Myers ultimately claiming the top spot. Following her win, the new titleholder secured an automatic berth in the national Miss Universe Jamaica finals, a major beauty and wellness competition slated to take place this August. She will be joined at the national event by her fellow top three competitors: second-runner up Tiyana Mowatt, a practicing medical doctor, and third-place finisher Shaniece Douglas, who also earned automatic advancement out of the regional preliminary.
Though Collings-Myers was born in the central Jamaican town of Mandeville, she later moved to the popular coastal tourist hub of Montego Bay. She is an alumna of Kingston’s renowned Immaculate Conception High School, bringing a deep connection to multiple regions of the country to her new title.
Shortly after accepting her sash and crown, Collings-Myers shared her excitement with local outlet Observer Online, expressing gratitude for the experience of competing alongside her fellow contestants. “I’m excited to take on the journey that’s ahead of me. I enjoyed working with all these girls and I’m sorry to see it come to an end,” she said.
Jermane Blair, franchise manager for the Miss Universe Jamaica Kingston & St Andrew competition, was the one who first encouraged Collings-Myers to enter the pageant circuit two years ago, when the regional preliminary operated under its former name, Miss Universe Jamaica East. Blair opened up about the months of coordination and preparation that went into pulling off Saturday’s historic event, emphasizing that the core mission of the competition extends far beyond the stage.
“A lot of work went into this production. We were trying to ensure that the young ladies that entered the competition, would have been amazing. We also wanted to ensure that our patrons were appreciative of the show, and how we put it together. Without the team, this would not have been possible,” Blair said.
Blair called the evening’s crowning moment the undisputed highlight of the event, adding that he entered the competition with no set expectations for the outcome, thanks to the rigorous preparation all contestants received ahead of the preliminary. “For the first time, I had no expectations. Our ladies have been so well developed and prepared for tonight, so that they could show up and make me proud,” he shared.