Nailympia News

Immerse in competition highlights, interviews & points to note from the Nailympia realm, with its global director, Alex Fox

Nailympia Orlando: The results

Bigger, bolder, brighter and bursting with energy, Nailympia Orlando returned for its fifth edition with more glitter and sparkle than ever before. Held 1-2 June 2025 within the Premiere Orlando trade exhibition in Florida, this year’s event welcomed an outstanding 99 nail professionals from nine countries, making it the largest competition arena of its kind that the USA has seen in many years.

Competitors flew in from across the globe, including the USA, Canada, Vietnam, Argentina, Italy, UK, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and Latvia, creating a wonderfully diverse and colourful community on the competition floor. Between 337 total entries and 30 international judges, the vibe was nothing short of electric – both in front and behind the curtain.

At the heart of the event was a sense of renewed momentum – a celebration of growth and resilience after quieter years post-Covid. From seasoned artists to rising stars, the arena was a living gallery of global nail trends and personal flair. As one observer put it: “It wasn’t just a competition – it was a joyful gathering of creative minds from every corner of the industry.”

The event was led by a prestigious panel of judges, with GlossaryLive’s Alisha Rimando serving as head judge, bringing experience and expertise to the proceedings. From organisers to sponsors, distributors to competitors – everyone agreed that Nailympia Orlando 2025 marked a turning point in attitude towards competing. The passion is back, the community is thriving and the nails were phenomenal.

TOP USA TECH Veronica Luviano

ART WINNER OF WINNERS Nicolas Paggi – Argentina

WINNER OF WINNERS

Division 1 – Ivan Gabriel Pabon Caceres – Puerto Rico

Division 2 – Diem Vo – USA

Division 3 – Deborah Cocco – Italy

OVERALL TOP SCORER Deborah Cocco – Italy

Extreme Nail Styling Poster entry by Shayna Osazuwa – Canada/USA.

Extreme Nail Styling Poster entry by Georgina Takacs – UK.

Extreme Nail Styling Poster entry by Nina Nguyen – USA.

“It wasn’t just a competition – it was a joyful gathering of creative minds from every corner of the industry.”

THE NAILYMPIA ORLANDO JUDGES

Alisha Rimando (USA), Lisa Boone (USA), Scarlett Senter (UK), David Fowler (USA), Hirsch Hunty (USA), Traci Pinto (USA), Sarah Akhtyrska (USA), Morgan Haile (USA), Elaine Watson (USA), Valerie Ducharme (Canada), Buddy Sims (USA), Yulia Kovalchuk (USA), Naomi Longstaff-Gonzalez (USA), Hazel Dixon (UK), Brian Nguyen (USA), Guin Deadman (USA), John Hauk (USA), Giselle Caballero (Mexico/Canada), Kalista Sims (USA), Michelle Soto (Puerto Rico/USA), Kirsty Meakin (UK), Mr Luis (USA), Jenny Bui (Cambodia/USA), Gari-Dawn Tingler (USA), Henry Pham (USA), MaeLing Parrish (USA).

Winning Stiletto Nails by Deborah Cocco – Italy.

Extreme Nail Styling Poster entry by Margarita Yutsaytis – USA.

“Competitors flew in from across the globe, including the USA, Canada, Vietnam, Argentina, Italy, UK, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and Latvia, creating a wonderfully diverse and colourful community on the competition floor.”

Extreme Nail Styling Poster entry by Olena Shymonyuk – USA.

Extreme Nail Styling Poster entry by Veronika Ostrovska – USA.

The Nailympia Competitions 2025 global campaign imagery is courtesy of:

Nails: Elena Popova @popovaelena_nfp Photographer: Elena Gelberg @pena_litrova Make-up artist: Varvara Tabutarova @varvara_tabu Hair stylist: Ksenia Golubeva @ksenja_golubeva Model: Alina Philipskaya @alina__0606

Dates for the diary

8 August Nailympia London Online Registration closes

28-29 September Nailympia San Antonio Premiere San Antonio, Texas, USA

12-13 October Nailympia London Professional Beauty Autumn,

London, UK

For information about Nailympia Competitions including how to enter, visit www.nailympia.com

/Nailympia @nailympiacompetitions

Nailympia Competitions are powered by

THE WINNERS
RUNWAY NAILS

Division 1

1st – Tammy Huynh – USA

2nd – Aimee Hamilton – USA

3rd – Yanin Echevarria – USA

Division 2

1st – Klysta Pesina – USA

2nd – Jennie Le Hai yen Nguyen – Canada

3rd – Aura Aponte-Flores – USA

Division 3

1st – Nicolas Paggi – Argentina

2nd – Syreeta Aaron – USA

3rd – Thomas Pham – USA


REALITY NAILS

Division 1

1st – Tammy Huynh – USA

2nd – Viktoria Komar – USA

3rd – Veronika Ostrovska – USA

Division 2

 1st – Jennie Le Hai Yen Nguyen – Canada

2nd – Diem Vo – USA 3rd – Aura Aponte-Flores – USA

Division 3

1st – Thomas Pham – USA

2nd – Nicolas Paggi – Argentina 3rd – Deborah Cocco – Italy


EXTREME NAIL STYLING POSTER

Division 1

1st – Veronika Ostrovska – USA

2nd – Nina Nguyen – USA

3rd – Olena Shymonyuk – USA

Division 3

1st – Margarita Yutsaytis – USA

2nd – Georgina Takacs – UK

3rd – Shayna Osazuwa – Canada/USA


TO STILETTO & BEYOND

Division 1

1st – Tammy Huynh – USA

2nd – Nina Nguyen – USA

3rd – Masiel de La Pena – USA

Division 2

1st – Diem Vo – USA

2nd – Aura Aponte-Flores – USA

3rd – Jacqueline Elmore – USA

Division 3

1st – Mai Dinh Thi – USA

2nd – Margarita Yutsaytis – USA

3rd – Hong Yen Truong Thi – USA


FLAT ART BOXED

Division 1

1st – Olena Herasymenko – USA

2nd – Inessa Ostavnienko – USA

3rd – Vira Bushta – USA

Division 2

2nd – Aura Aponte-Flores – USA

3rd – Sierra Pagan – USA

Division 3

1st – Thomas Pham – USA

2nd – Natsuko Amano – USA

3rd – Veronica Luviano – USA


GEL POLISH MANICURE

Division 1

1st – Natalia Iakoleva – USA

2nd – Aimee Hamilton – USA

3rd – Tetiana Gruushchenko – USA

Division 2

3rd – Hanna Khalin – USA

Division 3

1st – Kseniia Zemlianova – USA

2nd – Svitlana Motyl – USA

3rd – Nicolas Paggi – Argentina


SALON NAILS

Division 1

1st – Marilyn Fontanez – Puerto Rico

2nd – Nina Nguyen – USA 3rd – Ivan Gabrial Pabon Caceres – Puerto Rico

Division 2

1st – Diem Vo – USA

2nd – Aura Aponte-Flores – USA

3rd – Helen Garcia Miranda – USA

Division 3

1st – Deborah Cocco – Italy

2nd – Isabella Caccamese – Italy

3rd – Mino Vo – UK


THE JOY OF NAILS

Division 1

1st – Olha Khlomova – USA

2nd – Ivan Gabrial Pabon Caceres – Puerto Rico

3rd – Yanin Echeverria – USA

Division 2

1st – Aura Aponte-Flores – USA

2nd – Diem Vo – USA

3rd – Klysta Pesina – USA

Division 3

1st – Deborah Cocco – Italy

2nd – Isabella Caccamese – Italy

3rd – Nicolas Paggi – Argentina


UV HARD GEL COMPETITION NAILS

Division 1

1st – Nina Nguyen – USA

2nd – Olha Khlomova – USA

3rd – Ivan Gabriel Pabon Caceres – Puerto Rico

Division 2

1st – Diem Vo – USA

2nd – Aura Aponte-Flores – USA

Division 3

1st – Deborah Cocco – Italy

2nd – Isabella Caccamese – Italy

3rd – Mino Vo – UK


L&P ACRYLIC COMPETITION NAILS

Division 1

1st – Nina Nguyen – USA

2nd – Ivan Gabriel Pabon Caceres – Puerto Rico

3rd – Francela Flores – USA

Division 2

1st – Diem Vo – USA

2nd – Aura Aponte-Flores – USA

3rd – Klysta Pesina – USA

Division 3

1st – Deborah Cocco – Italy

2nd – Isabella Caccamese – Italy

3rd – Mino Vo – UK


PERFECT MATCH

Division 1

1st – Nina Nguyen – USA

2nd – Ivan Gabriel Pabon Caceres – Puerto Rico

3rd – Marilyn Fontanez – USA

Division 2

1st – Aura Aponte-Flores – USA

2nd – Diem Vo – USA

Division 3

1st – Deborah Cocco – Italy

2nd – Isabella Caccamese – Italy

3rd – Mino Vo – UK


STILETTO NAILS

Division 1

1st – Ivan Gabriel Pabon Caceres – Puerto Rico

2nd – Olha Khlomova – USA

3rd – Nina Nguyen – USA

Division 2

1st – Iyanna Ridley – USA

2nd – Diem Vo – USA

3rd – Aura Aponte-Flores – USA

Division 3

1st – Deborah Cocco – Italy

2nd – Isabella Caccamese – Italy

3rd – Nicolas Paggi – Argentina