#20 – Bryoni Govender (South Africa/Supranational). It’s not to call Dr. Fezile Mkhize’s win win a jinx by any count – a milestone is a milestone. Though, one must admit, that doubled the pressure on this lawyer of Indian descent, whose chances at a sandwich win suddenly became steeper. Though she had to settle for sixth, it was still a marked improvement from her Miss Universe finish. More importantly, she won Miss Supranational-Africa. It was a fitting swan song, as it turned out to be the Miss South Africa organization’s final year with the franchise. 

#19- Safietou Kabengele (France/Grand International). We can forgive her propensity to throw wigs, because perplexing antics are MGI’s norm. Point is, this Senegalese stunner from Normandy stole the show and engulfed the stage with her larger-than-life presence. She was bound to go far, regardless of what sash she wore. And, in this case, it was the best ever finish for her country of residence.  

#18 – Matilda Wirtavuori (Finland/Universe). We knew a drought-ender was due when Scandinavian Sheynnis was picked to represent the former pageant powerhouse. And, end the drought she did in Mexico, finally, after an astounding 28-year-long wait. Even though she was frozen out of the Top 12, she did win Miss Universe-Europe and Middle East, curiously, despite Russia’s farther finish. And how fitting that she carried the title for most of 2025 – 50 years since country’s last win.

#17 – Emilia Dides (Chile/Universe). Guess you can say her predecessors crawled so she could soar and, well, belt out her country’s name in the opening. Whether or not those theatrics will indeed eventually find their way to the MGI stage, she can relish one-upping the 2023 drought-ender by making the second cut. It was the farthest the country got since 1990. 

#16 – Hrafhnildur Haraldsdottir (Iceland/Earth). Pronouncing her moniker may be difficult, but understanding why she got far is easy. Never has a Nordic beauty enchanted Miss Earth fans since the pageant’s first winner, and that’s almost a quarter-century ago. While this medical student settled for Miss Earth-Air, it was a tremendous leap from her Miss Universe non-placementin New Orleans. Sometimes, it’s really just a matter of finding the right platform.

#15 – Lesego Chombo (Botswana/World). No one dared exclude her from their Hot Picks the moment she took the mic in the Head to Head Challenge. Her rhetoric was like no other: soothing like a lullaby, but with the conviction of an army. Her subsequent challenge placements pretty much affirmed her hype and there was no way she’d be left out of the Final Four. The judges ultimately went the classic route but, for a brief period there, it felt like the Blue Crown was hers.

#14- Christine Julianne Opiaza (Philippines/Grand International). No Pinay fit the MGI mantle more than this runway coach, whose explosive catwalk stunned even the most ferocious of online trolls. It was a third near-win well-earned, given the country’s love-hate dynamic with that pageant. And much as the Grand crowning moment evaded her, she did help the likes of Dia Mate and Alexie Brooks secure theirs, as her proteges. Safe to say, she’s the new Queenmaker.

#13 – Ache Abrahams (Trinidad and Tobago/World). When the 71st Miss World was stalled for two years, this TV host was always among the early picks. And it would remain that way up until she set foot on India, where the Continental title for the Caribbean was always hers for the taking. The crown may have gone to Europe, but her Final Four placement was proof that, after an uneven run during the past decade, the islands’ glory days may once again be looming.

#12 – Huynh Thi Thanh Thủy (Vietnam/International). With pre-pageant oddsmakers out of the running (Miss International loves doing that), it was virtually an open race. It could have been anyone among the Top 20 – the pageant’s largest semi-final roster yet. And with a Latin back-to-back becoming less likely, this damsel from Da Nang quietly won the panel’s hearts with her unassuming charm. It was one of those wins no one saw coming but, at the same time, no one had trouble embracing. It’s hard to say no to her face. And considering that the country first tested the waters of pageantry 30 years ago here in this very contest, this feels like an overdue reward. 

#11 – Jessica Lane (Australia/Earth). The misery didn’t last long for fans of Sydney’s Sheridan Mortlock, the Taylor Swift doppelgänger who missed the Miss Earth crown by a hair in 2022. Just two years later, this journalism student from Melbourne just as effortlessly stood out with her regal stance. It really was a long time coming, considering the smallest continent came so close thrice over the past decade. And, finally, the Land Down Under soared to the top. It’s now the latest country to win all pageants in the Pre-Supra/Grand line-up.