Twenty-four-year-old Joheirry Mola Dominguez of the Dominican Republic has emerged winner of the 73rd Miss World pageant, held on Saturday at the April 2 Square in Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Mola’s victory marked only the second time the Dominican Republic has produced a Miss World, 44 years after Mariasela Álvarez won the title in 1982.

She succeeds Thailand’s Suchata “Opal” Chuangsri, who won the 2025 edition and crowned her successor at the grand finale.

Spain’s Elisabeth Reynés Alabern was named first runner-up, while Malaysia’s Taanusiya Chetty emerged second runner-up. Chetty also won the Beauty with a Purpose award for her social impact work.

Nigeria’s representative, 26-year-old Tamunosoye Karibi-George, popularly known as Soye, finished among the Top 12 after progressing through several stages of the competition but failed to advance to the final six.

Karibi-George had earlier secured an automatic spot in the Top 40 after winning the Africa Top Model title at the Vietnam Beauty Fashion Fest. She defeated contestants from Botswana, Equatorial Guinea, Kenya and South Africa to claim the continental modelling crown.

She subsequently advanced to the Top 20 and Top 12 before her journey ended at the latter stage.

The final six contestants were Mola of the Dominican Republic, Reynés of Spain, Chetty of Malaysia, Lê Nguyễn Bảo Ngọc of Vietnam, Romanda Hombir of South Africa and Snit Habteab Tewoldemedhin of Eritrea.

Mola is a literature and social studies teacher, professional model, news correspondent and community advocate. 

She holds a degree in Business Management and Administration from Universidad Iberoamericana and founded Voices of Tomorrow, an initiative focused on providing English-language education to children and young people in vulnerable communities.

Her advocacy for access to education featured prominently throughout the competition and reflected the Miss World organisation’s “Beauty with a Purpose” philosophy.

For Nigeria, Karibi-George’s Top 12 finish represents another strong performance on the international stage. The Port Harcourt-born beauty queen represented Bayelsa State at the national pageant and was crowned Miss World Nigeria 2026 in June at the Balmoral Hall of the Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.

She succeeded Joy Mojisola Raimi, who reached the Top 20 at the 2025 Miss World pageant.

Karibi-George is a communications professional, model, actress, voice-over artist, event host and scriptwriter. She is also the founder of Beyond Labels, an initiative focused on inclusion, dignity, education and empowerment for children with disabilities, special needs and neurodivergent individuals.

During the competition, she participated in the Head-to-Head Challenge and Talent Competition, where she performed “Opportunity” by Sia. She also showcased Nigerian culture through several outfits inspired by the Niger Delta’s environmental and cultural heritage.

One of her notable outfits, the “Amazon of the Mangrove” costume, highlighted environmental resilience and women’s strength, while another appearance featured a green-white-green evening gown inspired by Nigeria’s national colours.

The 2026 edition featured 111 contestants divided into four continental groups, Africa, the Americas and Caribbean, Europe, and Asia and Oceania.

Contestants progressed through fast-track challenges and various stages, including the Top 40, Top 20, Top 12 and Top Six, before the winner and runners-up were selected.

The 2026 edition marked the first time Vietnam hosted the Miss World competition and coincided with the organisation’s 75th anniversary.

The next edition of the pageant is scheduled to take place in Tanzania in 2027.