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NC Woman Featured On SI Swimsuit Edition Cover

By Elliott West, The Raleigh Telegram

Week Of Thursday, February 11, 2010

CHARLOTTE - Brooklyn Decker, a North Carolina woman who was discovered in a Charlotte shopping mall, is now on the coveted cover of the famous annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition.

The 22 year old model has been featured in the Sports Illustrated special edition before, but this is her first appearance on the cover, which can be a big boost to her modeling career.

Other famous models such as Kathy Ireland in the 1980’s saw their careers take off after appearing on the cover of the annual swimsuit edition.

Although she was born in Ohio, Decker grew up in Charlotte and as a teenager, played sports at her high school including running track, playing soccer, and cheerleading.

Her big break came when she was only 16 years old and she was “discovered” at a model search at a mall in Charlotte and later did modeling work for Mauri Simone.

“She has been featured in Teen Vogue, GQ, Cosmopolitan, FHM and Glamour as well as in campaigns for Gap, Intimissimi and Victoria's Secret and in music videos for Jimmy Buffett and 3 Doors Down,” says Sports Illustrated on her profile page.

Decker is married to tennis star Andy Roddick, who first became acquainted with her after he saw her in one of her previous Sports Illustrated issues. She has now done five issues, although this is her first cover.

When Decker found out that she was on the cover, she Tweeted her thanks to everyone involved, although she’s not sure how the SI editors choose the cover model.

"I still don't know the formula for the cover," she told the Associated Press. "It's luck, the perfect suit and perfect storm to get it."

If the careers of other SI cover models are any indicator, we’ll probably be seeing a lot more of Brooklyn Decker in the future.

ON THE WEB: Sports Illustrated 2010 Swimsuit Edition :: Page For Brooklyn Decker

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