Achieng Agutu Is 'Sports Illustrated Swimsuit's Newest Rookie

Achieng Agutu was photographed by Yu Tsai in Mexico. Swimsuit by Analina and earrings by SOKO.

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit named another 2024 rookie today: Achieng Agutu! 

The motivational internet personality from Kisumu, Kenya, called the honor "iconic" and even shouted out 2016 SI Swim cover star Ashley Graham as a part of the reason why she felt so inspired to make the dive into the modeling competition–and her splash-happy debut has already made waves.

“There’s been a lot of women who have reached out to me since I announced that I was going to be a [2024 SI Swimsuit] rookie who have just said like, ‘You don’t understand how huge this is for us, you don’t understand how special this is for us to see someone who looks like us in the pages of SI [Swimsuit],” she told the publication.

“My story is being told on this platform, [and] it’s so reassuring to me that my story is worthy of being listened to and celebrated,” she added.

Agutu–who has a bachelor’s degree in public relations and Spanish and a double master’s in international marketing and business analytics–created her platform as a way to get young people to embrace their body type and shape, noting that if she had the same support as a teen, "it would have changed so much how I lived my life."

The 27-year-old recalled a conversation with a teen online, proving what she aspires to do has come "full circle" with reality.

“After I announced that I was going to be a rookie, she was like, ‘Oh my God, I can’t wait to buy the magazine’ and, ‘I’m going to put it in my room,’ and, ‘You don’t understand how huge this is for me and my friends,” Agutu shared. “I think it’s kind of full circle for me to see all the work I’ve done getting to a point where it’s helping someone.”

Agutu said working with photographer Yu Tsai in Cancun, Mexico, had her feeling like she was in "the best hands possible," going on to describe the experience with Tsai and SI Swim editor-in-chief MJ Day as “warm,” “chill” and “fun,” like a laid-back “family reunion."

"Shooting with Yu Tsai is like shooting with your best friend,” she said. “I call myself the Internet Bestie, so it’s fun to have somebody else hype me up."

Agutu concluded with a few inspiring words with hopeful models, telling them to just "do it."

"You just have to do it. You can’t wait for the motivation. You can’t wait for the inspiration. You can’t wait for somebody to push you and do it. Just do it. Put yourself out there,” she explained. “If I listen to the people who are telling me like, ‘Yeah, but there’s so many other people who are applying, like why you?’ If not me, then who? If not you, then who? If not now, then when? Like, you just have to do it.”

Along with Agutu other rookies to be revealed this year included Nina Cash, Brittany Mahomes, Lori Harvey and Penny Lane.

Next: Patrick Mahomes' Mom Shares Big Reaction to Brittany's Newly Unveiled 'SI Swimsuit' Photos