19 Aug 2026

Miss World Botswana, Ruth Thomas has made a strong start to her Miss World journey in Vietnam after winning the opening round of the Miss World Head Chef Beauty Challenge alongside her Team 9 teammates.

Thomas joined queens from Curaçao, Venezuela, Guinea-Bissau, the Czech Republic, Greece, Serbia, Spain, China PR, Lebanon and Pakistan in the culinary challenge, where teams were tasked with preparing three dishes for the judges.

The challenge put contestants’ creativity, teamwork and culinary skills to the test, with Team 9 emerging victorious in the opening round.

The early success comes as Thomas continues to make her mark on the festival, with the 24-year-old taking to the runway for the Top Model/Vietnam Beauty Fashion Fest (VBFF) ‘The Green World’ event on August 18.

At the event, Thomas was among contestants who showcased their elegance, confidence, poise and stage presence as they competed for a place among the leading contenders.

Thomas, from Masunga is representing Botswana at the 73rd Miss World Festival, which is being held in Vietnam from August 9 to September 5.

Her passion for fashion is also personal, revealing in an interview that her love for the craft was inspired by her grandmother, who was a designer. 

She has also demonstrated her creativity by making clothing pieces by hand without using a sewing machine.

With her Head Chef Challenge victory providing an early boost to her campaign, Thomas  continued to fly the flag high yesterday after she secured a place in the Miss World Top 24 Sports Challenge following a 1.25km race against contestants  across the globe. 

The festival will culminate in the grand final and crowning ceremony on September 5, when Thomas will hope to make history by becoming Botswana’s next Miss World finalist. ENDS