Tanzania’s Jihan Dimack has made history after winning the Miss Grand International 2026 crown, becoming the first African woman to claim the title since the competition began.
Dimack was crowned on October 10 in Bangkok, Thailand, after emerging victorious among 80 contestants from different countries.
The Tanzanian beauty queen succeeds the Philippines’ Emma Tiglao, who handed over the crown during the competition’s grand finale.
Ecuador’s Shyare Andrade emerged first runner-up, followed by Beau Megan Goos of the Netherlands as second runner-up. Guatemala’s Ximena Carrillo and Vietnam’s Emoura Pham finished third and fourth runners-up, respectively.
During the final question-and-answer segment, Dimack was asked about the qualities an empowered woman should possess. She highlighted kindness, drawing inspiration from her mother, whom she described as a woman who puts others first and leads with compassion.
She also spoke about the importance of love in addressing inequality, encouraging people to embrace their differences and treat one another with respect.
Her victory marks a significant milestone for Tanzania and the African continent, bringing the prestigious international pageant crown to Africa for the first time.
Dimack, who previously represented Tanzania at Miss Universe in 2017 after winning Miss Universe Tanzania in 2016, returned to the international pageant stage this year after winning Miss Grand Tanzania.
Her historic achievement has placed Tanzania in the spotlight of global pageantry and opened a new chapter for African representation in the competition.
As Miss Grand International 2026, she is expected to promote the pageant’s advocacy against war and violence, using her platform to advance peace, tolerance and respect for human dignity. <Cite refs={["turn156314news9","turn156314search12","turn156314search8"]}/>
