Achieng Agutu’s Confidence Advice Is Something Everyone Needs to Hear

The 2024 SI Swimsuit rookie shared some words of wisdom that deserve repeating.

Achieng Agutu was photographed by Yu Tsai in Mexico. / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

Achieng Agutu is known as “the tantalizing confidence queen,” so if we ever feel down on ourselves, we know who to turn to for a boost.

The 2024 SI Swimsuit rookie walked the brand’s runway show during Miami Swim Week last Saturday, and while on the red carpet ahead of time, Agutu was asked by a reporter to share her advice for being confident—which she absolutely had at the ready.

“It’s simple. You just have to wake up every day, look yourself in the mirror and remind yourself who you are, honey,” she stated. “You have one life, you better live it to the max, O.K.? And that’s how I remind myself that, you know, I am that girl. And if I was not reminding myself that I am that girl today, tomorrow and the days after that, I would not be walking the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit runway.”

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Agutu also shared the snippet on TikTok, where many of her 861,600 followers chimed in to the comments section to hype her up.

“u are my motivation u make me lv myself lv u🥰❤️,” one person gushed.

“YESSS GIRL!! Get it!!” someone else cheered.

“gorgeous, beautiful, masterpiece 💯🔥,” another fan applauded.

Prior to strutting the runway in two jaw-dropping looks, Agutu, who is a co-winner of SI Swimsuit’s 2023 Swim Search, walked the red carpet in a gorgeous yellow-and-black dress by Fal-ash. She paired the cut-out gown with black stilettos and a bold red lip.