Olympic Gymnast Aly Raisman Traded Leotards for Classic Black Swimsuits During Photo Shoot in Aruba

The athlete has posed for three SI Swimsuit features.

Aly Raisman was photographed by James Macari in Aruba.James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Retired professional gymnast Aly Raisman made her SI Swimsuit debut in 2017. The following year, she returned for a special black-and-white “In Her Own Words” project with photographer Taylor Ballantyne, as well as a gorgeous feature with James Macari in Aruba.

The six-time Olympic medalist has three golds, two silvers and one bronze, making her the third-most decorated American gymnast ever.

“I truly believe [SI Swimsuit] sends a really important message that women don’t have to be modest to be respected. … I want people to understand you can be sexy,” the 29-year-old said about what her magazine features mean to her. “You can wear whatever you want. You can still be powerful. You can still have a voice. You can still advocate for change. You can still be a good person. You can still be respected. No matter what you’re wearing. A lot of people are supportive of that, but there are still people who don’t understand that, and I think it’s important to further the conversation and talk about it.”

Below are six of our favorite photos from Raisman’s 2018 photo shoot with Macari in Aruba.

James Macari/Sports Illustrated

James Macari/Sports Illustrated

James Macari/Sports Illustrated

James Macari/Sports Illustrated

James Macari/Sports Illustrated

James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Make sure to follow SI Lifestyle on Google News!