Vanessa Pulgarin of Colombia etched her name into pageant history after being crowned the inaugural winner of Miss Grand International All Stars 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand.
The groundbreaking competition featured 56 contestants, all of whom had previously competed in major international pageants. The event celebrated experience, resilience, and star power, welcoming women aged 20 to 40, including married contestants, mothers, and transgender delegates.
Pulgarin entered the competition as one of the frontrunners and consistently delivered strong performances throughout the pageant. She sealed her victory during the final question-and-answer segment when she spoke about determination, self-belief, and perseverance, saying dreams can be achieved despite rejection and obstacles.
Joining her among the top winners were Faith Maria Porter of Ghana and Huong Giang Nguyen of Vietnam, who also impressed judges throughout the competition.
Representing the Philippines, Gazini Ganados advanced to the Top 5, earning praise for her poise and consistency in another strong international pageant showing.
The first-ever MGI All Stars edition introduced a unique scoring format that combined judges' evaluations and online fan participation, with public support accounting for a significant portion of contestants' scores. The event generated strong engagement among pageant fans worldwide.
Adding prestige to the competition were hosts Emma Tiglao, Michelle Dee, and Danilo Carrera, who guided audiences through the grand finale.
With her victory, Pulgarin becomes the first Miss Grand International All Stars champion, setting the benchmark for future editions of the global pageant competition.
