Olympic, Auburn star Suni Lee to appear in SI Swimsuit edition

Suni Lee, the two-time U.S. Olympic gymnast and Auburn star, will be a part of the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition, the magazine announced on Monday.

“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 said in a statement. “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.”

Lee has won six Olympic medals, including the gold in team competitions, bronze in women’s all-around and bronze in women’s uneven bars in the 2024 summer games in Paris.

Other athletes to appears in the SI Swimsuit edition include Gabby Thomas, Eileen Gu and Nelly Korda.

Lee earned Glamour magazine Woman of the Year honors in October.

In 2022, two years after her first Olympics appearance, Lee went on to string together the most decorated year in Auburn program history after securing eight All-American honors, winning an SEC title, a national title and being named the SEC Freshman of the Year.

In 2023, Lee competed in eight meets before being sidelined by a chronic kidney disease. Lee eventually withdrew from Auburn and didn’t return to training until January.

Mark Heim is a reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim. He can be heard on “The Opening Kickoff” on WNSP-FM 105.5 FM in Mobile or on the free Sound of Mobile App from 6 to 9 a.m. daily.