Join Olympian Gabby Thomas on Her SI Swimsuit Debut With Behind-the-Scenes Looks

The athlete is making her brand debut in the 2025 issue.

Gabby Thomas was photographed by Ben Horton in Boca Raton, Fla. / Ben Horton/Sports Illustrated

Today is the day. Gabby Thomas is officially joining the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit family for the 2025 magazine, and today, the Olympic track star is on the ground in Boca Raton, Fla., posing for her debut feature.

It’s a momentous way to close out what has been an incredible year for the professional runner. At the Paris Olympics this past summer, the sprinter took home three gold medals in the 200m sprint, 4x100m relay and 4x400m relay. It was only the latest display of her impressive athletic ability, which likewise carried her to two podiums at the Tokyo games.

But her achievements don’t end at the edge of the track. The 27-year-old attended Harvard University, where she earned an undergraduate degree in neurobiology. But she didn’t stop there. She later graduated from the University of Texas with a Master of Public Health in epidemiology. Ever the inspiration, Thomas has dedicated herself to bettering public health access in historically underserved communities.

Her combination of athletic prowess and academic achievement makes her a shoo-in for the annual issue. At SI Swimsuit, we are always looking to showcase difference-makers on the pages of the magazine—and Thomas is nothing if not a difference-maker. We updated this post live as Thomas shares teased of her photo shoot day.

This afternoon, the SI Swimsuit Instagram account teased a snippet from her debut brand photo shoot, which featured Thomas in a classic orange one-piece swimsuit. She posed on a wooden walkway heading down to the beach and smiled for the camera.

Gabby Thomas was photographed by Ben Horton in Boca Raton, Fla. / Ben Horton/Sports Illustrated

Gabby Thomas on SI Swimsuit set / @si_swimsuit

In the afternoon, the Olympian took to the SI Swimsuit Instagram to share her excitement ahead of the photo shoot. According to Thomas, she had just picked out her swimwear looks and was patiently awaiting her moment to pose for the camera. “Can’t wait!” she expressed at the end of the story.

Gabby Thomas on SI Swimsuit set / @si_swimsuit

A little bit later, she returned to share an update on her experience. In the midst of posing—and during outfit number three—the rain put the experience on hold. As Thomas put it, “Just Florida weather—you never know.”

Gabby Thomas on SI Swimsuit set / @si_swimsuit

In between shots, Thomas enjoyed her “second coffee of the day,” giving her just enough energy to pose expertly for photographer Ben Horton.

Time for a little snack on set. 🥇

Posted by Sports Illustrated Swimsuit on Monday, November 4, 2024

Thomas didn’t take to Florida empty-handed—she showed up on set with her hardware in hand. During her photo shoot, the track star showed off her three Paris Olympic gold medals in a comical video.

The essentials? CHECK. ✨

Posted by Sports Illustrated Swimsuit on Monday, November 4, 2024

And the videos didn’t stop there. Thomas also showed off her “essentials” in the post above, wearing a black robe. “Gabby your energy is so contagious, please never lose it 😂,” one fan commented on the Instagram post, while SI Swimsuit model Jena Sims added: “And so much more 🔥.”

Gabby Thomas, Eileen Gu on SI Swimsuit photo shoot in Boca Raton, Fla. / Instagram / @si_swimsuit

And for the last share of the day, Thomas posted to our Instagram story alongside fellow SI Swimsuit athlete Eileen Gu, who also posed for her debut today. The pair announced they’d be signing off, signaling the end of the shoot day.

Next. Gabby Thomas Intro. Everything to Know About Gabby Thomas, SI Swimsuit Athlete. dark