Ruth Butaumocho Entertainment Editor
With only nine days to go before the Miss World grand finale kicks off in China, it appears that Zimbabwe’s representative to this prestigious event, Bongani Dhlakama, is yet to find her stride.

Contestants from 125 countries will battle for honours on August 18, in Ordos, north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, in the planet’s most prestigious beauty pageant.

Unlike former Miss Zimbabwe Malaika Mashandu, who did well in the preliminaries, when she was among the finalists for the Miss Bikini contest during the pre-judging period last year, it appears that Bongani is finding the going tough.

She is yet to straddle on fertile crescent and has so far not been shortlisted in a number of pre-judging events that have taken place in Ordos.

During the Miss World boot camp, there are a number of fast-track challenge events that allow contestants to earn points towards the final scoreboard.
These areas are also used to assess the final beauty queen, before the day of the big event.

Some of the events include the Designer Award, Beach Beauty, Performing Talent, Top Model, Sports and Fitness, Multimedia Award and the mother of them all — Beauty with a Purpose.

The majority of these events have since been held and the contestants are only left with two categories — Miss World Top Model Final and Miss World Beach Fashion Finals — that will be held within the next two days.
Before she left, Bongani had planned to perform the traditional isithikisa dance for the Performing Talent category, while earmarking her cervical cancer awareness for the Beauty with a Purpose category.

In that category, which has the highest marks, the adjudicators will look into the charity work undertaken by contestants, and how relevant they are in their respective communities and the world at large.

However, Zimbabweans will have to keep their fingers crossed in anticipation of victory of any magnitude from the leggy model. The 23-year-old lass from Bulawayo, was crowned Miss Zimbabwe early this year, taking over the reins from Malaika.
The Midlands State University Development Studies student impressed a judging panel that included former Big Brother Africa housemate Munyaradzi Chidzonga.

Bongani’s first princess was 19-year-old musician and Miss Mashonaland West first runner-up Petinah Nhamburo.
Miss Zimbabwe USA Ruvimbo Katiyo was second princess. Bongani enjoys travelling, netball and reading novels and she describes herself as an open-minded, considerate, kind and outgoing person, and says her favourite food is macaroni cheese.

The Miss World contest is now in its 62nd year.
Ivian Sarcos of Venezuela will crown her successor at the end of the event. During the boot camp the contestants will visit Shanghai and Changshu.