America's Next Top Model: Guys & Girls 2 crowned Keith Carlos champion during The CW's Friday night broadcast of the 21st season's finale episode.
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Keith, a 6'1" 26-year-old from Bridgeport, CT, won the title of "America's Next Top Model" and was the first male to do so in the history of the show, after he defeated runner-up model Will Jardell, a 6'4 3/4" 23-year-old from Nederland, TX.
"Coming into this competition, I would've never thought in a million years that I would have made it this far and actually be crowned the first male to become 'America's Next Top Model,' and it's amazing. I feel so favored and grateful. I thank God and my football coaches that motivated me to achieve all my goals. I thank my mother for not giving up on me and always believing in me and my dreams," Keith said following his victory.
"No matter if you're privileged or not, you have to believe in yourself. What the mind thinks, the body follows. And as long as you keep that mindset and persevere, you can achieve anything. Look where I'm at! My father is here and he's definitely rejoicing and saying, 'You did it my son! Well done and you're America's Next Top Model.' I can't believe I'm 'America's Next Top Model!'"
Keith won over Will after each model was judged on his overall body of work, his performance in a fashion runway show for Seoul designer Lie Sang Bong and the commercial he had starred in for Tyra Banks' new makeup line.
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A total score was therefore tabulated for the finalists' average social media score, judges' combined score -- which included Tyra, Kelly Cutrone, Miss J. Alexander, and Yu Tsai's scores from 1-10 -- and their average challenge score over the course of Season 21.
"I'm walking away with a newfound person inside of myself that I'm so proud of, and I want everyone to know that I'm going back to small-town Texas and they better watch out because this big-time fella is going to take over the world," Will said after hearing the results.
Third place went to Adam Smith, a 5'10 1/4" 26-year-old from Memphis, TN, who had been judged on the same criteria as Keith and Will.
Keith earned a total of 51.70 points -- 37 points from the judges, a score of 8.3 from the challenges, and a fan vote of 6.40.
Will racked in a total score of 49.20 points. He received 35 points from the judges, an overall challenge score of 7.3, and a 6.90 fan vote.
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Adam's total score was 45.16 points after the judges gave him 32 points, he earned 7.3 points from the challenges, and he added a fan vote of 5.86.
Lenox Tillman, a 5'9 1/2" 19-year-old from Newnan, GA, had also starred in a makeup commercial for Tyra's new line and participated in a Guess photo shoot.
However, Lenox was eliminated in fourth place, so she did not receive the opportunity to walk the runway for Lie Sang Bong. Just based on the four models' Guess photo shoot alone, Lenox earned 31 out of 40 possible points from the judges compared to Keith's 34, Will's 35, and Adam's 38 points.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski