In a glittering ceremony held last Saturday night at Wolmer’s Boys’ High School’s Douglas Orane Auditorium, history was made as Hannah Collings-Myers, representing Digita Properties Limited, claimed the title of the first-ever Miss Universe Jamaica Kingston & St Andrew. The 20-year-old medical sciences student from The University of the West Indies was just as shocked as the gathered audience when her name was announced as the inaugural winner, marking the culmination of months of rigorous preparation and personal growth.
Collings-Myers’ pageant journey began two years earlier, when Jermane Blair, franchise manager for the Miss Universe Jamaica Kingston & St Andrew competition, first spotted her at a local fashion show and encouraged her to enter. Speaking to Jamaica Observer shortly after the midnight coronation, the new queen shared her surprise and gratitude for the experience. “Surprise, yes, I am. This journey has been terrifying; I have been so scared to do everything, but I’ve put my best foot forward, and I don’t know why I’m so surprised to see that it came with good results. But I guess that it just wasn’t what I expected, but I’m extremely happy with the results,” she said.
Looking back on the intensive training and preparation that led her to the crown, Collings-Myers emphasized that the competition offered far more than a title—it was a life-changing opportunity for self-discovery. “The training was definitely hard, lots of long days, but it was worth it. I have taken away a new sense of self. I was so unsure about coming into this competition, and the fact that I came here, put my best out and could win, it shows me that I am much more than I think I am,” she explained. She added that while Blair sparked her initial interest, she chose to see the competition through because it offered a chance to step out of her comfort zone and grow as a person—an outcome she says she has fully achieved.
Blair, who first recognized Collings-Myers’ unique potential two years prior, shared his pride in the new queen’s achievement. “I met Hannah at a fashion show two years ago and I thought that she was so beautiful. Her way of communicating was just so mature, and her responses were so intellectual. I reached out to her and encouraged her to enter, but she decided to enter this year, and she did the work, and look at her now — she is the new queen tonight,” he said enthusiastically.
Originally from Manchester, Jamaica, Collings-Myers previously resided in Montego Bay before relocating to Kingston to complete sixth form at Immaculate Conception High School in St Andrew, putting her in the region eligible for the new competition.
The historic event kicked off just after 8 p.m. with a high-energy opening number that captivated the sold-out audience. Twenty-one competing contestants first introduced themselves to the judges and crowd, before the field was narrowed down to a top 14 semi-finalists: Leighann Dacres-Jones (Miss Mt Sinai Dental and Implant Centre), Shanika Scott (Miss Island Gully Falls Ltd), Rachel Newman (Miss Carefree), Collings-Myers, Shaniece Douglas (Miss Janga’s Soundbar and Grill), Daenya Anderson (Miss Covenant Insurance Brokers Ltd), Shanya Francis (Miss Caribbean Glass Company), Claire Schwapp (Miss STL Solar), Ottavia Bradshaw (Miss Jarrett Auto Parts), Tiyana Mowatt (Miss Saxby), Ruesheen Ricketts (Miss Advance Integrated Systems), Akanke Scott (Miss VM Group), Calethia Campbell (Miss Orion Loss Adjusters), and Tenneil Sewell (Miss Legend Beer).
Next came the fan-favorite swimwear segment, where competitors showcased designs from Jamaican brand Kaydian Nicely Exclusive, dazzling the crowd before judges cut the field once more to a top 11. Advancing contestants included Dacres-Jones, Akanke Scott, Shanika Scott, Sewell, Schwapp, Ricketts, Mowatt, Douglas, Francis, Newman, and Collings-Myers.
Between competitive segments, the audience enjoyed standout performances from the Laud Dance Ministry and recording artist Alicia Taylor, before the semi-finalists took the stage in elegant evening wear from designer Atelier Dermoth Williams. Another elimination followed the evening wear round, narrowing the competition down to just three finalists who advanced to the grueling final interview round: Collings-Myers, Mowatt, and Douglas.
Before the final winner was announced, the competition awarded a series of sectional prizes to recognize standout contestants: Abigail Barnes (Miss Bailey’s Food and Beverage) took home the Most Congenial title; Calethia Campbell won the Altruism Award; Leighann Dacres-Jones claimed both the People’s Choice Award and Best in Swimwear; Shanika Scott won Best in Evening Gown; Shaniece Douglas was named Most Photogenic; and Tiyana Mowatt received the Essence of Style Award.
When the final results were announced, Collings-Myers claimed the inaugural crown, with Tiyana Mowatt, a practicing medical doctor, securing second place as first runner-up, and Shaniece Douglas finishing in third place. In a major announcement at the close of the event, organizers confirmed that Collings-Myers and both of her runners-up will receive an automatic spot in the national finals of the Miss Universe Jamaica competition, where they will go on to compete for the chance to represent Jamaica at the global Miss Universe pageant.