Loud applause filled the training room at the Jamaica Observer yesterday when one-year-old Jai’Lani Thomas was crowned winner of the company’s annual Cutest Baby Photo Competition.

Jai’Lani’s mother, Latania Watson-Thomas, and his father, Jason Thomas, said that they were very excited about the win, particularly because it was their first time entering the hugely popular competition.

“One of my friends entered last year and then we decided that since we have our son we would enter to see how far we would go, and luckily we won,” Watson-Thomas said and expressed special thanks to the workers in the lab at Mandeville Hospital who voted for her son.

Dontae Laing, Jai’Lani’s older brother, was also happy about the win.

“I feel good!” he exclaimed.

Their grandmother, Icema Frieth, who was also in attendance, was elated and could not stop smiling.

The couple won $100,000 from the Observer, gift baskets with baby products from Kirk Distributors (Lovable and Johnson & Johnson) and Lasco Distributors, a three-night/four-day stay for a family of four at Beaches Resorts, and a microwave from Appliance Traders Limited.

One-year-old Nathan Walsh placed second, while two-year-old Jahmari Clarke placed third.

Their parents received cash prizes of $60,000 and $40,000, respectively from Lasco Distributors.

All three also received gift certificates from Ammar’s.

Annette Fearon, Nathan’s mother, said she entered the competition because she simply “wanted Nathan to get some exposure”.

She also divulged that she was elated about the results and was very happy she decided to enter her baby.

To vote, readers were asked to place a tick in the box associated with the photo of the baby published in the Observer at least three times weekly, and submit the page with the votes to one of the Observer‘s offices in Kingston, Mandeville, Ocho Rios, or Montego Bay.

The three topped a field of 50 babies entered by their parents or guardians. The first round of voting, which ended on October 4, saw the 10 babies with the highest number of votes move to the second round, after which the three babies with the highest number of votes were entered into the final round.

Yesterday Jamaica Observer Head of Advertising, Marketing, and Communications Natalie Chin thanked the sponsors for their continued support, saying that without them the competition would not have been possible.

“I would also like to thank our readers who not only entered their lovely babies in this competition, but also voted to give these precious little ones and their parents a chance to win fabulous prizes,” she said.

“We are always excited about this competition and next year we hope to make it even bigger and better,” Chin said.