Simone Biles Is an Athletic Angel in These 6 SI Swim Pics From Mexico

The most decorated gymnast of all time has posed for the annual magazine twice.

Cara O’Bleness | Nov 4, 2023

Simone Biles was photographed by Walter Chin in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.

Walter Chin/Sports Illustrated

In addition to being a seven-time Olympic medalist, Simone Biles is also a two-time SI Swimsuit model. The athlete, who officially became the most decorated gymnast of all time last month, first posed for the magazine in 2017, when she traveled to Houston for her feature with photographer James Macari.

The 26-year-old returned to the fold two years later, and this time, her work took her to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where she worked with visual artist Walter Chin. The features served as an opportunity for Biles to demonstrate her athletic prowess in front of the lens—and in both features, her resulting photographs were graceful and absolutely stunning.

While her nerves didn’t translate in the pictures either time, Biles confessed to us that she was actually more nervous for the opportunity the second time around.

“It was actually scarier the second time, but once I was on set and shooting I had such a blast,” she stated. “It’s an honor to be featured in the SI Swimsuit edition and to be a part of this group who is inspiring women and showing girls that all body types are beautiful.”

While traveling to a tropical location outside of the U.S. for her sophomore photoshoot with SI Swimsuit, Biles admitted that despite the nerves, she felt more comfortable embracing her femininity during her second brand feature.

“I... was able to shoot on a beach, which is one of my favorite places to be,” she shared. “Also, since I’m a bit older this time around, I felt more confident in my body during the shoot.”

Below are just a few of our favorite pics from her photoshoot in Mexico, in which Biles’s confidence is abundantly apparent.

Simone Biles — Walter Chin/Sports Illustrated

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Published Nov 4, 2023

CARA O’BLENESS

Cara O’Bleness is a writer and editor on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Prior to joining SI Swimsuit in 2022, she worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, O’Bleness loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University’s School of Journalism.