This Sunday, Jamaica will crown its next representatives to the global Mister and Miss Supranational competition, with 10 handpicked finalists putting weeks of rigorous preparation on the line at the intimate, boutique-style final event hosted at Kingston’s iconic Louise Bennett Garden Theatre on Hope Road.
In the lead-up to the coronation, contestants have undergone an extensive multi-week training program designed to build more than just stage presence, covering everything from personal grooming and physical fitness to communication skills, tourism advocacy, and holistic personal growth. Ahead of the final event, the group gathered for a preparatory retreat at Princess Hotel & Resorts in Hanover, where they put on an spontaneous impromptu fashion show for attendees and completed a branded photoshoot against the backdrop of the resort’s coastal landscape.
Serene Lloyd, public relations manager for Princess Hotel & Resorts, expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to welcome the pageant contestants. “Hosting the group here was an absolute pleasure,” Lloyd shared in an interview with Jamaica Observer Online. “This was a wonderful chance to showcase our destination and the signature luxury experience Princess Resorts is known for. The pageant has such a engaged, wide audience, and we’re eager for their followers to see the natural beauty of our property and come experience it for themselves.” She added that contestants had full access to the resort’s amenities during their stay, exploring the grounds, interacting with staff, enjoying the island’s signature beachfront access, sampling local cuisine, and making the most of their retreat ahead of the final competition.
Barbie Mudahy, the national pageant’s coordinator, noted that this year’s cohort of finalists stands out for their range of strengths, far beyond conventional pageant standards of appearance. “This year’s group is incredibly strong,” Mudahy explained. “What really stands out is the diversity of their personalities, confidence, and stage presence. Every single contestant has grown noticeably throughout the preparation process, so this competition is about much more than looks. We’ve watched each person step into their own identity, becoming more polished, comfortable, and prepared with every passing week.”
The training program has been intentionally structured to be comprehensive and transformative, Mudahy explained. Each week, contestants work with industry experts on a new area of personal and professional development, spanning topics from grooming and fitness to public communication, wellness, and long-term personal growth. “Both the contestant preparation and the production itself involve months of hard work, so attendees can expect nothing less than an exciting, unforgettable experience this Sunday,” she added.
Several local industry partners have contributed to the contestants’ training this cycle. The Design Essentials hair care team has worked closely with both female and select male contestants, educating them on long-term hair health and handling styling throughout the competition, with industry professional Marcia Lindgaard Calendar donating her time and expertise to the initiative. Contestants also benefited from a detailed educational session with certified trichologist Karl Richmond, who deepened their understanding of evidence-based hair and scalp care practices.
For the male competitors, Jamaica’s HEART College of Beauty Services provided professional barbering services, keeping contestants well-groomed and helping them refine their personal presentation for the stage. All contestants completed public speaking and communication training with coach Adrian Atkinson, a session Mudahy called “extremely valuable” for building confidence and strengthening interpersonal and on-stage communication skills.
Fitness, a core focus of any pageant preparation process, was supported by Fit Farm Fitness Centre, which opened its facilities to all contestants. In addition to conventional fitness and health training, contestants also learned basic personal protection skills during their fitness programming, an addition that added practical value to their preparation. Tourism advocacy training was also a key component of the curriculum: Belinda Sutherland-Dowe from Jamaica’s Tourism Product Development Company Limited led sessions on the history of Jamaican tourism, the country’s cultural tourism brand, and how to effectively market Jamaica as a world-class travel destination as national representatives.
The four 2026 Miss Supranational Jamaica finalists are Deborah Gordon (affiliated with Dacx Production), Melissa Oliver (of Fit Farm Fitness Club), Rasheda Green (representing Design Essentials), and Antonni James (of Glam by O’Neil). The six male competitors vying for the 2026 Mister Supranational Jamaica title are Jordain Chambers (Atelier Dermoth Williams Limited), Kasheem Green (The Dental Place), Leopold Smith (All Signs), Laurence Pinnock (Cooyah), Sean-Pierre Coke (Knutsford Express), and Andrew Brown (The Prom Shoppe).