big mexican women: Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue shines spotlight on Olympians

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue shines spotlight on Olympians

(Sports Illustrated)

The Olympic-year edition of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue has a Summer Games vibe. Five Olympians, including 2008 history-maker Michael Phelps, are featured in the pages of SI's annual issue, which hit newsstands on Valentine's Day.
[Photo gallery: Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover revealed]
Fellow swimming gold medalist Natalie Coughlin also made an appearance, as did basketball player Chris Paul, soccer star Alex Morgan and 2008 Olympic tennis champion Rafael Nadal.

(Sports Illustrated)

Phelps, Paul and Nadal were featured in the "Bar & The Boys" pictorial, which matched up the famed athletes with Israeli supermodel Bar Refaeli.

(SI)

Morgan (below) and Coughlin were in a spread that showed female athletes in body paint. The soccer star told SI.com that she was more nervous for her photo shoot than she was for last year's World Cup final against Japan. "I have been playing soccer my entire life," she said. "I know how to stay calm and not get too nervous for games. It was a completely new experience and definitely took some getting used to before I felt comfortable in body paint."