Veteran Model Sharina Gutierrez Stuns in ‘Sports Illustrated Swimsuit’ Rookie Debut

Sharina Gutierrez has made her much-anticipated Sports Illustrated Swimsuit debut, with the first looks of her Portugal photoshoot premiering ahead of Swimsuit’s 60th anniversary issue in May.

Gutierrez was one of seven co-winners of Swimsuit’s 2023 SI Swim Search, alongside Denver Broncos cheerleader and technical account manager Berkleigh Wright and Kenyan model Achieng Agutu.

The Los Angeles native and mother of three was discovered at age 12 at a modeling competition in New York City before going on to pose for Elle, Teen Vogue, Polo Ralph Lauren, and Tommy Hilfiger. She also appeared alongside Gigi Hadid and Lil Yachty in a well-received Reebok campaign.

She said that SI Swimsuit “has been like a North Star” in her career. “[This process has been] so emotional because through this SI journey, it hasn’t just been like a year or two years,” she explains. “I’ve dreamt of this for like 21 years since I started modeling.

“The story that I went through to get to where I am today, I feel like I had to go through those 10 years of growth, those 10 years of self-sabotage and feeling unworthy to really losing myself in all of that so that I could actually find myself,” she continued. “When I found myself, it’s like I never wanted to let that person go.”

Gutierrez hopes that her story will inspire other women to believe in themselves and reach for their dreams. “I feel like this new version of Sports Illustrated [Swimsuit] that’s so about empowering women and equality and upliftment, I’m like, that’s the version of Sports Illustrated [Swimsuit] that I’m so grateful that I get to be a part of and…I’m so grateful this version of me gets that second chance.”

Gutierrez’s photos are the most recent snaps SI Swimsuit has shared of its 2024 issue. They previously released photos of LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, as well as former college dean Nina Cash, 57, and U.K. model Penny Lane, the latter of whom won Swim Search alongside Gutierrez.

You can check out a couple of Gutierrez's stunning shots below, and see the rest over at Sports Illustrated Swimsuit.