Antony Chawagarira
Zimbabwe continues to make its mark on the international beauty pageant stage, with Brunette Makanani Makanyiso adding another chapter to the country’s growing Miss World legacy.
Makanyiso’s campaign at the 73rd Miss World competition in Vietnam ended with a strong Top 12 finish, following impressive performances in several of the pageant’s major challenges.
The Chitungwiza-born beauty became Zimbabwe’s first contestant to win a Miss World Fast-Track Award and distinguished herself in both the Beauty With a Purpose and Top Model competitions.
She was ranked number one in Africa and number two globally in the Beauty With a Purpose challenge, and she also secured a place in the Top Six of the Top Model competition.
Her Top 12 finish means Makanyiso joins a growing list of Zimbabwean women who have carried the national flag onto the Miss World stage and contributed to the country’s evolving pageant legacy.
Although she did not progress to the final Top Six, her performance placed Zimbabwe among the countries that made a strong impression during this year’s competition.
The decisive Fast-Track development saw Miss World Malaysia win the Beauty With a Purpose challenge and secure an automatic place in the Top Six, which brought Makanyiso’s campaign to an end at the Top 12 stage.
Despite falling short of the final six, Makanyiso’s journey was marked by a series of notable achievements that raised Zimbabwe’s profile on the international stage.
Her campaign combined pageantry with advocacy, particularly through Beauty With a Purpose, and her performance in Top Model further demonstrated her competitiveness among contestants from around the world.
The competition was ultimately won by Joheirry Mola Dominguez of the Dominican Republic, with Spain’s Elisabeth Reynés named first runner-up and Malaysia’s Taanusiya Chetty second runner-up.
South Africa’s Romanda Hombir was crowned Miss World Africa, while the other continental titles went to Elisabeth Reynés of Spain for Europe, Taanusiya Chetty of Malaysia for Asia, Gabriela Botelho of Brazil for the Americas, Georgia-Lee Gill of Trinidad and Tobago for the Caribbean, and Tiare Henry-Anguna of the Cook Islands for Oceania.
For Zimbabwe, Makanyiso’s Top 12 finish and achievements in the fast-track competitions provide another significant milestone in the country’s Miss World journey.
Her performance has also inspired aspiring Zimbabwean models and pageant contestants, while reinforcing the country’s growing presence on the international beauty stage.
Makanyiso now leaves behind a campaign that not only delivered a Top 12 finish but also added new milestones to Zimbabwe’s ongoing Miss World story.
