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Jena Sims Joins SI Swimsuit for 60th Anniversary Issue

The model, mother and non-profit CEO was photographed for the 2024 SI Swimsuit magazine in Mexico.

Cara O’Bleness

Jena Sims was photographed by Yu Tsai in Mexico
Jena Sims was photographed by Yu Tsai in Mexico / Yu Tsai/Sports Illustrated

After being named co-winner of last year’s Swim Search open casting call, Jena Sims was named a rookie for the forthcoming 60th anniversary SI Swimsuit Issue. The 35-year-old model, mother and non-profit CEO recently traveled to Cancun for her photo shoot, which was captured by visual artist Yu Tsai.

“Being a rookie, it just feels right,” Sims told SI Swimsuit while on location. “I have worked literally my entire life [for this]. This is my biggest goal ever since I was a little kid. I was so nervous flying here, but now that I’m here, I just feel so relaxed. I feel like I’m exactly where I need to be, and I feel like this is the beginning of such a huge new chapter of my life.”

Sims is proof that perseverance pays off, as the 2023 open casting call was the third time she’d thrown her hat in the ring with the hopes of landing within the magazine’s pages. The philanthropist and fashion designer, who is married to professional golfer Brooks Koepka, is adamant that there is much to be learned from rejection—hearing “no” shouldn’t stop you from reaching for your dreams, and it certainly didn’t stop Sims.

“I’m a Capricorn, I’m very stubborn. So if I have a goal, I’m gonna go after it,” she added. “I’m big on making the first move. I made the first move on my now husband, some of my biggest opportunities in life, some of my collaborations ... I made the first move.”

Read more about Jena Sims’s 2024 SI Swimsuit photo shoot here.

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Cara O’Bleness

CARA O’BLENESS

Cara is a trending news writer/editor for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. A passionate writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in print and online media, she loves storytelling and believes that words have the power to change the world. Prior to joining the team, Cara 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, Cara 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.