Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — After nearly an hour of improvisation and entertainment, the long‑awaited results of the 2026 Miss American Samoa pageant were finally handed to the hosts and announced, during the final night of the event held at the Gov. H. Rex Lee Auditorium.

The Special Awards were announced first, and the crowd erupted as Contestant #2, Vivian Ho Ching, claimed seven awards. Contestant #5, Tilomai Tauiliili, followed with three, prompting cheers from her supporters.

Before moving into the Placement Awards, MC J‑Smooth urged the audience to remain calm and composed, reminding everyone that once the new Miss American Samoa was crowned, Reverend Elder Viliamu Leilua would deliver the closing prayer before the evening concluded with the new titleholder’s first siva.

He then proceeded with the announcements:

Fourth Runner‑up — Contestant #1, Celestina Faaoga

Third Runner‑up — Contestant #3, Naomi Pou‑Lynn Naiuli

Second Runner‑up — Contestant #4, Elzabad Tuiolemotu Elisara

First Runner‑up — Contestant #2, Vivian Ho Ching

As the First Runner‑up was announced, Tilomai Tauiliili’s family and supporters exploded with cheers, sensing what was coming. Meanwhile, Vivian Ho Ching’s supporters were stunned. Some, visibly upset, could be heard booing and shouting in disbelief, creating a tense moment in the venue.

Meanwhile, the new Miss American Samoa Tilomai Tauiliili, looked overwhelmed with emotion and disbelief at the outcome of the pageant.

According to a member of MASI, Contestant #2 may have won the most individual categories, but that does not automatically make her the overall winner.

Pageants are decided by total accumulated points, not just the number of category wins. A contestant can win several categories by very small margins, while another contestant can earn much larger point advantages in the categories they win and ultimately finish with the higher overall score.

A post on the MASI Facebook page provided an example to illustrate this point:

"For example, imagine Vivian scores 9 points and Tilomai scores 8 points in three categories. Vivian would lead those categories by only one point each, giving her 27 total points and Tilomai 24. But if Tilomai then scores 9 points in the next two categories while Vivian scores 5 points in each, Tilomai would gain a much larger advantage, ending with 42 points compared with Vivian’s 37.

“In that scenario, Tilomai wins overall despite not winning the most categories.

“The key takeaway is that winning the most categories does not necessarily mean winning the competition. It’s the cumulative score that matters. Before jumping to conclusions, it helps to understand how pageant judging and point systems actually work.

“Don’t judge our newly crowned Miss based solely on your personal preferences or emotions. Instead, recognize the hard work, preparation, and performance that each contestant brought to the competition. Tilomai absolutely earned her victory and deserved the crown. At the same time, Vivian and every other contestant did an outstanding job and should be proud of what they accomplished.”

SPECIAL AWARDS:

Miss Personality (Contestant #3)

MASI Award (Contestant #1)

Best Ava Ceremony (Contestant #5)

Best Sarong (Contestant #5)

Best Laei Samoa (Contestant #4)

Best Talent (Contestant #2)

Best Puletasi (Contestant #2)

Best Interview (Contestant #2)

Best Traditionally Inspired Wear (Contestant #2)

Best Siva Samoa (Contestant #2)

Miss Photogenic (Contestant #2)

Miss Internet (Contestant #2)

People's Choice Award (Contestant #5)

PLACEMENT AWARDS:

4th Runner-up (Contestant #1)

3rd Runner-up (Contestant #3)

2nd Runner-up (Contestant #4)

1st Runner-up (Contestant #2)