Congratulations to R’Bonney Gabriel, 28, of Texas for winning Miss USA 2022 tonight in Reno, Nevada. Gabriel is the 10th winner from her state. The last one was Crystle Stewart, the current Miss USA president, who won in 2008. Earlier, Gabriel had also won the Best State Costume.
Gabriel also makes history by being the first Miss USA of Filipina descent, and the third of Asian descent after Mai Shanley of New Mexico (1984) who is part-Chinese and Brooke Lee of Hawaii (1997) who is part-Korean.
Gabriel will now represent USA in the next edition of Miss Universe which will take place in New Orleans on January 14, 2023.
North Carolina's Morgan Romano placed second, Nebraska's Natalie Pieper in third place, Ohio's Sir’Quora Carroll in fourth place, and Illinois's Angel Reyes in fifth place.
Last year’s Miss USA Elle Smith passed the crown to Gabriel, 28.
Gabriel, a fashion designer, designed her Miss USA interview outfit on her own as a tribute to her parents.
“My mom is from Beaumont, Texas, and my father is from the Philippines. They got married in Manila, Philippines. I hand-painted the same flower design from my mother’s wedding dress onto my sleeves and tied in a traditional Maria Clara Filipina collar shape. I have immense gratitude for the [opportunities] my parents provided me and wanted to express my love to them through this,” she wrote on Instagram.