Lindquist earned the judges’ admiration through her well-rounded presence and powerful advocacy project titled Courage over cancer, which promotes cancer awareness and fundraising support.

Chelsea Fernandez from the Philippines was named the first runner-up, thanks to her compelling mangrove reforestation project.

Miss Cosmo 2025 grand finale highlights

Yolina Lindquist, the representative of the United States, was crowned Miss Cosmo 2025 after an intense and emotional finale that showcased not only beauty but also compassion and intellect. Vietnam’s Nguyen Hoang Phuong Linh secured a spot in the top 10.

The finale took place on the night of December 20, hosted by MCs Duc Bao and Bonang Matheba. The event gathered exceptional contestants from around the world and featured performances by singer Jessi and Vietnamese pop star Ho Ngoc Ha.

The show began with a vibrant group performance, followed by the announcement of the Top 20 + 1 contestants, including representatives from Greece, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Cambodia, the United States, India, Colombia, Indonesia, Brazil, Thailand, Germany, Vietnam, Laos, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Myanmar, Cuba, Zimbabwe, the Philippines, and New Zealand.

During the swimsuit competition, energized by Jessi’s performance, all 21 contestants showcased their confidence and presence on stage. Vietnam’s Nguyen Hoang Phuong Linh stood out as she vied for a place in the top 10.

Top 10 and evening gown competition

The top 10 contestants moving on to the evening gown segment included representatives from Brazil (Gabriela Borges), Zimbabwe (Lisa Sibanda), Cuba (Amys Napoles Ochoa), the USA (Yolina Lindquist), Vietnam (Nguyen Hoang Phuong Linh), Colombia (Dayana Cardenas), Myanmar (Myint Myat Moe), the Philippines (Chelsea Fernandez), Panama (Italy Mora), and Thailand (Mooham Chotnapa Kaewjarun).

From this group, the top 5 were selected: Chelsea Fernandez (Philippines), Gabriela Borges (Brazil), Yolina Lindquist (USA), Italy Mora (Panama), and Myint Myat Moe (Myanmar). Nguyen Hoang Phuong Linh concluded her journey in the top 10.

Powerful answers in the Q&A round

During the question and answer round, Yolina Lindquist addressed the topic of leadership, emphasizing the need for empathy, compassion, service, strength, and courage. Drawing on her experience as president of a 70-member female student association, she discussed the balance between empathy and strong decision-making.

Italy Mora from Panama spoke on the difference between being heard and being empowered, arguing that any woman who dares to speak out already holds power.

Myint Myat Moe of Myanmar reflected on the paradox of global connectivity and growing human disconnection, advocating for increased positive communication despite personal flaws.

Chelsea Fernandez from the Philippines tackled gender stereotypes, expressing her desire to empower women through skill-enriching opportunities.

Gabriela Borges of Brazil responded to a question about artificial intelligence by highlighting its dual nature and the importance of encouraging women to harness its power for equal opportunities, particularly in leadership roles. She stressed the need for education and trust in today’s young girls.

Debate round and final result

In the final debate round, Yolina and Chelsea were asked to defend their projects. Yolina presented Courage over cancer, a campaign inspired by her aunt’s mastectomy. She raised over USD 20,000 for the Huntsman Cancer Research Foundation and was named one of the top eight global fundraisers.

When asked by Chelsea how she would proceed without sufficient donations, Yolina confidently noted that cancer affects millions, making it easier to connect emotionally and secure support - what truly matters is how patients and families are helped.

Chelsea’s project, Paradise of the mangroves reforestation, focused on planting 5,000 mangrove trees across one hectare in Sultan Kudarat, Philippines, to mitigate natural disasters and boost local economic growth by 20–30% in one year.

Yolina questioned the global applicability of Chelsea’s project. In response, Chelsea explained that since 2019, it had already been expanded across various provinces and could scale globally with the support of governments, NGOs, and private partners.

After the debate, Yolina Lindquist was officially crowned Miss Cosmo 2025.

Huy Minh