Suni Lee Radiates Angelic Beauty in Brown Two-Piece for SI Swimsuit BTS Photos

The 21-year-old Olympic gymnast posed for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit earlier this month and the behind the shots are breathtaking.

Suni Lee was photographed by Ben Horton in Boca Raton, Fla. Swimsuit by St. Agni / SI Staff

All month long, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit has been excitedly announcing the first group of our 2025 magazine lineup, featuring a long list of incredible athletes. One of our first announced was Suni Lee, the two-time Olympic gold medalist who flew to Boca Raton, Fla. to be photographed by Ben Horton. While you’ll have to wait until next May to see her full spread of photos, we have released a few official images of Lee wearing a simple yet stunning brown two-piece by St. Agni.

The official images of Lee were simply flawless, so it should come as no surprise that the behind the scenes photos from her shoot day are just as beautiful. As we inch closer to the 2025 issue, we’re happy to share some BTS sneak peeks from the athlete’s shoots, including the former Auburn Tigers gymnastics team member. With the perfect Floridian sun and the mesmerizing blue pool water, Lee had the perfect backdrop to make her SI Swimsuit debut.

But of course, it’s her beauty—inside and out—that does all of the work. Enjoy seven exclusive BTS shots from Lee’s SI Swimsuit photo shoot below.

Suni Lee was photographed by Ben Horton in Boca Raton, Fla. Swimsuit by St. Agni / SI Staff

Suni Lee was photographed by Ben Horton in Boca Raton, Fla. Swimsuit by St. Agni / SI Staff

Suni Lee was photographed by Ben Horton in Boca Raton, Fla. Swimsuit by St. Agni / SI Staff

Suni Lee was photographed by Ben Horton in Boca Raton, Fla. Swimsuit by St. Agni / SI Staff

Suni Lee was photographed by Ben Horton in Boca Raton, Fla. Swimsuit by St. Agni / SI Staff

Suni Lee was photographed by Ben Horton in Boca Raton, Fla. Swimsuit by St. Agni / SI Staff

Suni Lee was photographed by Ben Horton in Boca Raton, Fla. Swimsuit by St. Agni / SI Staff

It’s no surprise that the SI Swimsuit community has embraced Lee’s introduction so well, with several fellow models showing support on the brand’s Instagram.

The gymnast, who made her Olympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games where she won gold, returned for the Paris Games this summer, where she won bronze and helped Team USA walk away with first place in women’s gymnastics. After being diagnosed with kidney disease—which forced her to end her college career early—Lee partnered with the American Kidney Fund on the organization’s Know Your Kidneys initiative. Clearly, Lee is a very busy woman, but she’s enjoying a bit of time off now that she’s relocated to New York City post-Olympics, and wants to focus on working with fashion and beauty brands.

While speaking with Glamour in early October, Lee described who she is outside of gymnastics: “She’s fun, she’s energetic, outgoing, very brave. But not a lot of people see that, and it’s something that I want to expand on more. I think fashion can be a really good way to express yourself.”

As we wait for the 2025 SI Swimsuit magazine to hit stands next May, be sure to check out our coverage of the athlete lineup so far. They’re all truly incredible in their respective sport and in front of the camera.