We’re Celebrating Haley Kalil’s Birthday by Reliving Her SI Swimsuit Journey

The inaugural Swim Search co-winner turns 33 on Aug. 6!

Haley Kalil was photographed by James Macari in Hollywood, Fla. Swimsuit by INDAH. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

As Haley Kalil rings in her 33rd birthday today, Aug. 6, we’re taking the opportunity to relive her SI Swimsuit story all over again.

Starting her tenure with the magazine in historic fashion as the first-ever co-winner of the brand’s Swim Search open casting call with Camille Kostek, it was as if Kalil was destined for stardom. Take a look at how it all started.

2019: Kenya

Haley Kalil was photographed by Yu Tsai in Kenya. Swimsuit by IZTALI. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Kalil’s first photo shoot with the brand was technically in Belize in 2018, where the then-Swim Search finalist stepped in front of photographer Yu Tsai’s camera lens. But after winning the competition, the Minnesota native traveled to Kenya for her rookie campaign in the fold.

Haley Kalil was photographed by Yu Tsai in Kenya. Swimsuit by HAY HAY COUTURE. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

“I am a huge nerd, so before I shot for Sports Illustrated, I studied,” Kalil told Fox News that same year. “I watched Kate [Upton], I watched Chrissy [Teigen], I watched Heidi [Klum]. I watched all of these old videos to see how they moved their bodies and how they posed. That was my way of getting ready for the shoot because before you take a big test, you gotta study.”

2020: Scrub Island, BVI

Haley Kalil was photographed by Josie Clough in Scrub Island, BVI. Swimsuit by AEXAE. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

We’d say Kalil aced her rookie debut, and when it was time for her next shoot with the magazine on Scrub Island, she was ready for round two. Donning multiple pastel-colored looks along with statement pieces—like a sparkling gold HAUS OF PINK LEMONAID one-piece and multi-colored knitted Fashion Nova suit—readers learned even more about the model.

Haley Kalil was photographed by Josie Clough in Scrub Island, BVI. Swimsuit by Solid & Striped. / Josie Clough/Sports Illustrated

“I always planned on going to medical school,” the model revealed to the SI Swimsuit team. She also mentioned that her motor is fueled by intellectual stimulation, adding, “Learning is what drives me every single day in my career.”

2021: Hollywood, Fla.

Haley Kalil was photographed by James Macari in Hollywood, Fla. Swimsuit by Matthew Bruch. Earrings by Lili Claspe. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Kalil’s most recent feature with the brand was in Hollywood, Fla., where the model shot in the same location as the person she started her journey with: Kostek. On location, she couldn’t help but beam with pride about her fourth consecutive year with the brand.

Haley Kalil was photographed by James Macari in Hollywood, Fla. Swimsuit by Oh Polly. / James Macari/Sports Illustrated

“From being a non-model lab nerd to being an SI Swimsuit model [...] Guess what? You can do both!” Kalil exclaimed. Then, she offered some words of wisdom to those following her career. “You can be a model [...] and you can also be a scientist, you can be a doctor, you can be a teacher. You can be smart and beautiful.”

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