Justus Kelley made history as the first mother and first married woman to win Miss USA — and she got there in an unconventional way.
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she → make → way
On Aug. 27, the organization hosted the 75th edition of the national pageant in Miami.
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organization → host → Miami
The 31-year-old, who was Miss Virginia USA 2026, succeeded last year’s winner, Audrey Eckert, 24.
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who → succeed → winner
The pageant opened the competition to married women and mothers in 2023.
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pageant → open → 2023
"My pageant prep, it did look different," Kelley told Fox News Digital.
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Kelley → look → Digital
"I'm not going to pretend like I was able to dedicate the same amount of time as what I did in the past.
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I → go → past
I had to get creative.
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I → have → ?
I did walking classes with my baby on my chest, in his carrier.
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I → do → carrier
I did squats in my living room while holding my two-year-old.
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I → do → old
I practiced interview questions while feeding my toddler.
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I → practice → toddler
"
"There were days when I wished I could just take the entire day to dedicate to pageant prep, but that's not where I am," Kelley said.
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Kelley → be → prep
And we made it work, and my family was fully on board with this experience.
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family → make → experience
They know that they're along for the journey; they're along for this ride with me.
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they → know → me
The Miss USA pageant began in 1952 in Long Beach, California, with New York's Jackie Loughery becoming its first winner.
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Loughery → begin → Beach
The competition is separate from the Miss America pageant, which traces its history to a 1921 event in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
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which → trace → City
Kelley, a foster mom of two, is the first married mother to retain the Miss USA title.
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Kelley → retain → title
In 1957, Mary Leona Gage was crowned Miss USA but was stripped of the title the following day after pageant organizers learned she was married and the mother of two sons.
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she → crown → sons
WATCH: MISS USA 2026 REVEALS HOW SHE TRAINED FOR PAGEANT WITH KIDS IN TOW
Kelley said she ditched social media and TV in favor of workouts whenever she found a spare moment while caring for her two young children.
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she → watch → children
"I love abductor and adductor exercises, something that I usually do on a machine at the gym," she explained.
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she → love → gym
"But if I can't make it to the gym, I'm just lying on the floor, elevating my leg and mirroring what I would've done on that machine.
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I → make → machine
For me, leading up to a pageant, knowing there's a fitness component, I'm going to be in a swimsuit on that stage.
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I → lead → stage
I want to feel good.
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I → want → ?
I want to show off all this hard work."
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I → want → work
"I really focused on core," she said.
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she → focus → core
"So a lot of times you'll find me at home in the living room.
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you → find → room
I might be watching a movie or doing some self-care, but I am on the floor crunching it out during that movie, saying, 'Let's try to get through this whole scene doing crunches,' and then you pause.
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you → watch → crunches
It was really all about focusing on core."
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It → focus → core
Kelley said her husband's support also helped her through the competition.
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support → say → competition
"The crown might be his because all he keeps saying is, 'I can't believe I'm Mr. USA,'" Kelley said with a laugh, referring to her college sweetheart.
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Kelley → keep → sweetheart
"I'm like, 'Babe, I don't know if that might be trademarked.
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that → know → ?
"
"He is so over the moon," Kelley said.
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Kelley → say → moon
"We've been together for 13, going on 14 years and married for nine.
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We → go → nine
I've been competing for over 10 years now.
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I → compete → years
And from my very first pageant, he was there holding a sign with my face on it up until the very end.
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he → hold → end
I did not get here alone.
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I → get → ?
My husband's a consultant, and he's been calling himself my pageant consultant.
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he → call → himself
But he's been a huge help in getting me to this point.
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he → get → point
This year's prize package, valued at more than $685,000, includes a $150,000 salary, a Range Rover, a one-year lease at a luxury Miami apartment, a Westgate Vacation Home Club membership and a $30,000 Miss Universe wardrobe, according to People magazine.
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package → value → magazine
The prize that made me go, 'Wow, and I have some questions,' was knowing that the Range Rover is a part of traveling in style even after your year as Miss USA.
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Rover → make → USA
I think that's huge.
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that → think → ?
…and 12 more, not listed.
The Aporia
