Gymnast Aly Raisman dazzled fans in her two Olympic appearances, but now we’ll get to see a different side of the three-time gold medalist.
The 22-year-old will be appearing in Sports Illustrated’s annual swimsuit issue, an experience she is quite proud of.
“I loved the photo shoot. It was such an empowering feeling to be so confident and happy with the way I looked,” Raisman told Yahoo. “I work so hard for the body that I have and believe that all women should embrace how beautiful they are, no matter their body type.”
The Massachusetts native doesn’t appear to be concerned about what others say about the shoot, as her opinion is the only one that truly matters.
“I haven’t read my comments recently on social,” Raisman told Yahoo. “I didn’t look at any comments after the SI photo was released because I’m just proud of my hard work. I’m proud of how I look and feel confident, that’s all that matters.”
While Raisman typically ignores comments, she admits she will run into hateful ones from time to time. However, she says she tries her best to ignore them, with the help of her support group.
“In general, if I see a comment that’s hurtful I try to brush it off — easier said than done, though,” she told Yahoo. “I’m a very sensitive person, and sometimes will call my parents or boyfriend, and they always remind me that if I’m happy, a nice person, and have good intentions in my everyday life, then that’s all that matters. As much as I’d like to, I can’t please everyone all the time.”
Thumbnail photo via Robert Deutsch/USA TODAY Sports Images
