Polina Ammosova didn’t need to win a crown to become the most talked-about contestant at Miss Grand International 2026.
The 24-year-old Russian model walked in a swimsuit during the preliminary rounds in Bangkok, Thailand, and social media lit up. For some users, her noticeable thinness raised concerns about her health, as they said her bones were visibly showing.
For others, criticizing her body means judging someone else’s, and they highlighted the confidence and energy with which she moved down the runway.
Her résumé barely figures in the conversation. Polina is a medical manager, is pursuing a master’s degree at Sechenov Medical University in Moscow, works as an actress, and practices swimming, sambo, and boxing. Offstage, she advocates for Russia’s stray animals and rescued her own pets from the streets.
So far, she has not spoken out about the criticism, and there is no confirmed information that she has any health problems. Is the concern valid, or should a contestant’s body not be up for debate?