Eileen Gu Is a Vision in White One-Piece for Her Stunning SI Swimsuit Debut

The Olympic freestyle skier was photographed this week for SI Swimsuit’s 2025 issue, and yes, we have a sneak peek.

Eileen Gu shot at The Boca Raton by Ben Horton. Swimsuit by Always on Holiday / Ben Horton/Sports Illustrated

Eileen Gu has taken the world by storm since beginning her career in freestyle skiing, becoming a three-time Olympic medalist, a two-time ESPY Award-winner and one of TIME’s 100 most influential people in the world for the 2022 list. On top of her athletic endeavors, Gu is also a successful model, posing for the cover of magazines like Vogue China and walking in runway shows. If that wasn't enough on her plate, the 21-year-old is also studying quantum physics at Stanford University, a subject she is particularly passionate about.

The Chinese-American athlete is a trailblazer for women athletes and beyond, and we’re so happy to have welcomed her into the SI Swimsuit family. On Monday, Nov. 4, the San Francisco-born star jetted off to Boca Raton, Fla. to be photographed by Ben Horton for our 2025 issue. Though we aren’t revealing the final shots just yet, we are able to share just one look that will surely leave our readers stunned.

Posing in a trendy white Always on Holiday one-piece suit with sheer cut-outs, Gu looked gorgeous making her SI Swimsuit debut:

Eileen Gu shot at The Boca Raton by Ben Horton. Swimsuit by Always on Holiday / Ben Horton/Sports Illustrated

Along with her swimsuit, the Ava one-piece, $148 (alwaysonholiday.com), Gu had her blonde hair styled in loose waves, great for the beach setting, and her glam featured a purple-pink lip and rosy pink cheeks. She was picture-perfect with her white-painted nails, matching the swimsuit—and really, white goes with any color. Her olive skin looked great in front of the beach backdrop as she sat on the wooded path bench leading to the water.

Though Gu and crew had to take a break mid-shoot for a bit of rain, fortunately that did not stop the day from turning out incredibly. As evidenced by the full look reveal above, Gu is an experienced model and knows how to work a camera. We can’t wait to check out the full spread which will be released on a later date.

While talking about her career in a past interview with CNN, Gu shared that her “athletics have enriched [her] life to such a profound degree, not only in terms of [her] physical well-being, but also [her] mental and my spiritual well-being.” Her talent, determination and well-rounded attitude make Gu an inspiration for athletes around the globe.

As for our 2025 issue photo shoot, we’ll be continuing to share announcements of our new athlete models here on SI Swimsuit, as well as on our Instagram page, so be sure to keep following along.

“We are thrilled to launch our shoot season for the 2025 issue with an extraordinary lineup of powerful female athletes,” SI Swimsuit editor in chief MJ Day shared of the current shoot. “This remarkable group, featuring Olympic medalists, world champions, and record holders, embodies the next generation of all-stars poised to transform the world of sports. They defy stereotypes and champion equality, inspiring young girls to envision themselves as both athletes and leaders. At SI Swimsuit, we’ve always celebrated the future of women, and there’s no better way to honor these remarkable achievements than by featuring them on the pages of our issue.”

For more from Gu’s SI Swimsuit photo shoot day, check out our behind-the-scenes diary blog where we shared some of the most exciting moments.