Online Reporter
Tafadzwa Zimoyo
Zimpapers Entertainment Editor
WITH just two days to go before the Miss World 2026 grand finale, Brunette Makanaka Makanyiso is entering the most important stretch of her international pageant journey with confidence, grace and a growing connection to Vietnam.
The 26-year-old pharmacist was crowned Miss World Zimbabwe at the national final in Harare on June 6.
She travelled to Vietnam to represent the country at the 75th Anniversary Miss World Festival.
The grand finale is set for Saturday in Nha Trang, where the successor to Thailand’s Opal Suchata will be crowned.
For Brunette, however, the journey has already been about more than the crown.
From the moment the contestants arrived in Vietnam, the Zimbabwean has embraced the country’s culture, scenery and people.
She has steadily been building her profile among more than 100 national ambassadors competing for the coveted Miss World title.
Her latest message from Nha Trang captured the mood perfectly.
“Some little good moments. Nha Trang has shown us so much love, it is truly a pleasure being here.”
It is a sentiment that reflects the warmth surrounding the final week of the competition, as the contestants move closer to the defining night of the festival.
Brunette’s campaign has seen her take part in a demanding programme of challenges, cultural activities, interviews and public appearances.
The Miss World format is designed to test contestants beyond traditional beauty, with communication, personality, talent, social impact and purpose all forming part of the journey.
She has already experienced the pressure of the closed-door interviews, one of the most closely watched stages of the competition.
The interviews give judges an opportunity to understand contestants beyond the glamour, examining their personalities, ambitions, experiences and causes.
She has also been part of the fashion and cultural activities that have taken the contestants across Vietnam.
The Model Challenge, for instance, brought the national ambassadors to Dragon Beach in Hai Phong for Vietnam Beauty Fashion Fest XVI, under the theme “The Green World.”
While Brunette did not secure places in some of the earlier fast-track challenges, including the Head-to-Head and Talent competitions, her Miss World journey is far from over.
That is perhaps one of the most important messages for her supporters back home: the competition is not won by one challenge alone.
The ultimate battle is still ahead.
As the final days unfold in Nha Trang, the focus shifts towards the remaining activities, the final presentations and, eventually, the moment when the finalists are called on stage.
The excitement is already building in the host city.
The contestants are scheduled to take part in “Dances of the World – Hello Vietnam, Hello World” before the September 5 finale.
For Zimbabwe, Brunette’s presence on that stage represents another opportunity to put the country’s name firmly into the global spotlight.
Her journey has also been about adapting to an unfamiliar environment and representing Zimbabwe thousands of kilometres from home.
Yet, her comments about Nha Trang suggest that the experience has become deeply personal.
“Some little good moments,” she said, a simple phrase that perhaps says more than a carefully prepared pageant statement.
Behind the rehearsals, interviews, cameras and competition is a young Zimbabwean woman collecting memories from a once-in-a-lifetime international experience.
Now, the countdown is on.
