Strong is sexy: Athletes grace Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue has been featuring sportspersons for long, and this year’s issue is marked for the inclusion of five famous ladies who have inspired the world with their talent and charisma — Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Serena Williams, Caroline Wozniacki, and Eugenie Bouchard.

Biles, a winner of four Olympic Gold medals in Rio last year, has been featured along with her teammate Aly Raisman. The 19-year-old who wowed the world with her gravity-defying signature move on the floor — ‘The Biles’— was one of the most popular stars of the Rio Olympics, and is listed amongst the phenomenal gymnasts of all-time.

Raisman, the three-time Olympic Gold medalist, while sharing her photo in swimsuit on Instagram, mentioned that she too used to have body insecurities like any other woman. The 22-year-old believes that it is important for every woman to love themselves instead of comparing with others, as there is no absolute standard when it comes to beauty. The Olympian added that she is delighted to be featured in the magazine that champions diverse body types, sending a strong message that beauty comes in all shapes and forms.

Grand Slam queen Serena Williams, who made history recently at the Australian Open, winning her 23rd Grand Slam singles title, has made an re-entry to SI Swimsuit Issue this year, posing topless, after several years of gap. For Serena’s best friend and former No: 1 player Caroline Wozniacki, this is the second consecutive year on SI Swimsuit Issue; last year she had gone au naturel in body paint.

Meanwhile another sensational athlete who made her debut for the prestigious edition was Eugenie Bouchard, the young Canadian who was a runner-up at 2014 Wimbledon. Once touted as the future star of tennis, Bouchard’s form dropped significantly in the last two seasons, but her popularity graph keeps soaring all for her gorgeous looks.

However, Bouchard received a lot of criticisms for accepting to be featured in the magazine; she got trolled on social media for not focussing on her career enough. The 22-year-old retorted that she wouldn’t let negative comments affect her life, and that she doesn’t believe in limiting herself although tennis remains her top priority.

Image courtesy: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit/Instagram