The family of 23-year-old Troy Ann Anderson was overcome with emotion, shortly after she was crowned Miss Universe Jamaica East (2025) inside the auditorium of Wolmer’s Boys’ School on Saturday.

Anderson emerged victorious from a field of 28 other competitors to take the crown and an automatic spot in the national finals of the Miss Universe Jamaica pageant.

“I can’t even express how I’m feeling, I’m over the moon at this time. But I just know that Troy Ann would do it tonight, and I’m really happy for that,”said Hilary Anderson, mother of Troy Ann, shortly after her coronation.

Her husband, Troy, was just as ecstatic about his daughter’s win.

“I told her to go for it from she told me that she was going to enter. From she was a youngster, she has been involved in various activities from prep school I knew she had it in her,” he shared.

Troy Ann had previously won the Miss Monsignor Colin Bryan Prep title.

Her brother Alexander, overcome with emotion, said he provided support to Troy Ann during her pageant journey.

“I was there for her every step of the way. She’s my big sister and she is my rock. She taught me a lot of things. I am very excited and very happy, because I knew she was going to win from the very start,” said Alexander.

Troy Ann’s mother told the Jamaica Observer that she had been encouraged to enter pageants when she was younger; however, she decided to pass on those opportunities.

“Back in the day, I was encouraged to enter Festival Queen and Miss Jamaica Universe but because of my Christian principles I didn’t. Now I was able to do it through my daughter, and tonight I am extremely happy,” said the beaming mother.

The Miss Universe Jamaica East pageant got off to a late start, but once it got going, the 29 finalists first appeared in formal wear before the group was reduced to 17, who took the stage in swimwear.

And then there were 10 finalists: Attorneys-at-law Simone Gardner and Keandra Wellington, Sylene Walker, Ashleigh Kates, Shiann Excell, journalist Kwela Cole, Esther Moore, Kennya Young, Nastassia Haughton, and Anderson.

The Top 6 then faced the question-and-answer segment, where they were posed questions by former Miss Universe Jamaica winners and runner-up.

Singer Trishane, alongside the St Hugh’s High School Choir, delivered a commendable rendition of Fantasia’s I Believe, while singjay Awegus Di Martian entertained with his original songs.

In the end, Moore finished in 6th place, Haughton placed 5th, Wellington 4th, and Excell in third place.

And, as the two remaining beauties, Anderson and Gardner, held hands, awaiting the announcement of the new queen, the cheers and screams grew louder inside the venue.

The announcement of Anderson as the new Miss Universe Jamaica East was met with thunderous applause.

“I remember saying to God, in the moment, I want you to take full control, and I want you to let the light that you placed inside of me, to let it shine, so others can see. And once that light shines the victory is inevitable. And so, I walked out and I presented myself and I felt like a queen in the moment,” Anderson told the Observer.

She shared that the support from her family and members of her church helped her along her journey in the pageant.

“My mom especially, always reminded me to remember God, and each day she sent me affirmations. My brother hugged me every day and that has been something that propelled me along the journey. Big up to all my church family, thank you for supporting me,” said Anderson, who worships at Parks Road New Testament Church of God.

Sectional prizes went to: Most Photogenic (Jody Ann Daley), Best in Evening Wear (Simone Gardner), Best in Swimwear (Shiann Excell), Most Congenial (Nastassia Haughton), Altruism Award (Ashleigh Kates).

Excell said she entered the pageant for personal development and to advance her platform.

“I entered as a means… to advocate for a cause which is close to my heart, autism awareness, which was inspired by my cousin’s journey,” she shared.

For Gardner, “The high point during the pageant was just seeing the amount of support that I had in the crowd. It filled my heart with so much joy. Thanks to my family, my friends, and even people who I just met, thanks so much to everyone for their support.”