We met Robyn Lawley, a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model

As Kidsday reporters we went to a Swim City media event at the Altman Building in Manhattan earlier this week to meet Australian supermodel Robyn Lawley. It was not what we expected. After taking the No. 1 subway line down to Chelsea on this dreary rainy Tuesday, we walked through the doors and felt the vibe — music playing, palm trees and lounge areas, crowds, media and beautiful people signing autographs of this year’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. The interview was delayed an hour but that was no problem. We just grabbed a magazine and went through the ropes to check out the scene and get some autographs.

At first we felt awkward because there were swimsuit pictures everywhere. But then it got real exciting. It was our first time experiencing an event like this. It made fame look appealing. Everyone wants an autograph or picture. It turned out to be a middle-school student’s dream. Then we got to interview Robyn Lawley. She’s very tall — 6-feet, 2-inches — and proud of who she is. She sends the powerful message that it’s important to be who you are. She’s not only beautiful, but has a kind way about her because she spent a lot of time with us answering our questions and taking selfies. She was polite and talkative. She was Sports Illustrated’s first plus-sized model to make the pages of the magazine. She told us about how she began her modeling career, pushed a little bit by her sister to get involved. She told us that she would rather be a chef. And she has an Aussie accent that sounds cool. She also talked to us about her baby girl, Ripley.

This year’s swimsuit edition is different. There are three different covers. One with Hailey Clauson, another cover with Ronda Rousey an MMA (mixed martial arts) fighter. The third cover is with Ashley Graham, the first plus-sized model to grace the cover.

After our interview, she signed our copies of the Sports Illustrated magazine and posed for lots of pictures with us.