Swimsuit

We’re Still Not Over These 5 Photos of Leryn Franco in Banff

Prior to her third and final Summer Olympics appearance, she traveled to Canada for her SI Swimsuit feature.

Martha Zaytoun

Leryn Franco poses in front of a vibrant blue lake and looks intently at the camera.

Leryn Franco was photographed by Stephan Wurth in Banff, Canada.

While many SI Swimsuit photoshoots take place in idyllic tropical locations, amid palm trees and vibrant blue waters, there have been a few that take models to entirely unexpected locales. Such was the case for Paraguayan Olympic athlete, Leryn Franco.

In 2011, she traveled to Banff, Canada with photographer Stephan Wurth for her feature with the brand. Rather than posing in front of the bright blue ocean, she took to the shores of a beautiful mint blue lake for her photoshoot. In a series of chic black-and-white swimsuits that stood out against the colorful backdrop, the athlete made a major statement. 

Though she made a name for herself as an athlete—representing her country as a javelin thrower in the 2004, 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics—she wasn’t unfamiliar with the industry. Franco had participated in a handful of beauty pageants prior to her SI Swimsuit call-up, including earning the runner-up spot in the Miss Universo Paraguay pageant in 2006 and participating in the Miss Bikini of the Universe pageant the same year.

Her relevant definitely served her well on the set of her 2011 photoshoot in Canada. The following year, she returned to the Summer Olympic games and earned a 34th place finish in her competition, proving yet again that she had talent both as an athlete and in front of the lens.

Below are some of her best photos from that Canadian trip in the wilderness.

Leryn Franco poses beside a wooden wall in a black and white lace bikini.
Leryn Franco sits on a blanket in front of the lake in a black and white bikini.
Leryn Franco stands on a rock in a black and white bikini set and leather boots.
Leryn Franco lays on a blanket in the grass in a black bikini and boots.
Leryn Franco sits in the shallow lake water in a black bikini and rubber boots.

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Martha Zaytoun
MARTHA ZAYTOUN

Martha Zaytoun is a writer on the Lifestyle and Trending News team for SI Swimsuit. Before joining SI Swimsuit in 2023, she worked on the editorial board of the University of Notre Dame’s student magazine and on the editorial team at Chapel Hill, Durham and Chatham Magazines in North Carolina. When not working, Zaytoun loves to watercolor and oil paint, run and water ski. She is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a huge Fighting Irish fan.

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