Russia's Varvara Yakovenko wins Miss Intercontinental 2025


Varvara Yakovenko beat over 50 other contestants to win Miss Intercontinental 2025 on Thursday, January 29 at V Hotel Sahl Hasheesh in Egypt.

The 18-year-old model became the fourth woman from Russia to hold the international beauty title. She succeeds last year's winner María Cepero from Puerto Rico.

Lorena Suárez Lara from Cuba was named first runner-up while Vanessa Natcha Wenk of Thailand and Faidha Kassim Kivuyo of Tanzania were the second and third runners-up, respectively.

The rest of the Top 7 were Christina Vanhefflin of the Philippines (fourth runner-up), Kika Marques Das Neves of Ecuador (fifth runner-up), and  Brilliant Mukanda Maroko of Kenya (sixth runner-up).

Completing the Top 12 finalists were the contestants from Cameroon, Colombia, USA, India, and Romania.

Germany, Brazil, Spain, Macau, Mexico, Nigeria, New Zealand, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovak Republic, and Vietnam made the Top 23.

Aside winning the crown, the new Miss Intercontinental also bagged the Miss Photogenic award and was named the continental queen for Europe.

"These words still sound unreal to me. They are followed by months of tension, sleepless nights, tears, doubts and a huge internal struggle," Varvara shared online following her victory.

She also posted," I am sincerely grateful to those girls who stayed by my side, congratulated and showed respect. In such moments it is especially clear who has real beauty - not only external."

"I walk forward with my head held high, understanding that the crown is not only about winning, but also about enduring."

Meet the 53rd Miss Intercontinental:

Photos: Ahmed Arafa Photography, Varvara Yakovenko / Instagram

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