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Contestants rehearse and put final touches to the night’s dance routines and catwalk show which will be performed in front of a live audience, their family, friends and supporters

Showbiz Correspondent
THE atmosphere was so edgy that one could cut the tension with a knife during the elimination round of the Miss World Zimbabwe boot camp as four aspiring models were axed on Monday night.

The four, Faith Kudakwashe Kapondo, Simangaliso Nkomo, Audrey Mhungu and Deirdrie Mabika stumbled at the first hurdle.

The cull by Miss World Zimbabwe has reduced the number of models in the boot camp from 22 to 18. There will be another chop next week Monday to get the number to 16 that will vie for the Miss World Zimbabwe crown on September 8.

A solemn mood engulfed the venue when the woman in charge of the elimination, Miss Zimbabwe Trust administrator Christine Matambo, walked in carrying a file bearing the names of the four to be eliminated. She then asked the models to stand in line in front of the cameras and if their names were called out they should stand aside.

Before the names were called out, Matambo told the models why some of them were going to be eliminated.

“We are looking at etiquette, presentation, eloquence, time keeping and personality among other things. We also look at whether the model has charm to make it as Miss World Zimbabwe. Can they convince the panel of judges that they are the ideal candidate,” she said.

That aside, Matambo called out seven names, Bridget Vambe, Yollanda Chimbarami, Kuzivakwashe Mujakachi, Nkomo, Mhungu, Mabika and Kapondo.

The next phase of the elimination process was to cut down the list to three and let the other four go.

Matambo said being eliminated was not the end of the world.

“This is not the end of the world. Like I said in the afternoon, you are all queens in your own way. Let not what has happened today take away the dream that you have,” she said.

For those who were not eliminated, Matambo said they survived by a whisker, urging them to improve so as to avoid the chop next week.

Those who survived said they were sad to see other models being eliminated.

One of the models who survived the chop, Yollanda Chimbarami, said: “I have mixed emotions but at the same time I have motivation and inspiration to maximise in the following week.”

The pageant’s grand finale will be held under the theme, “Embracing A Woman As A Symbol of Beauty”, at Orchids Garden in Domboshava, Harare.