Former college swimmer Andreea Dragoi grabbed attention once again, but this time it was not in the pool. The 23-year-old Romanian athlete-turned-model was one of the talking points of Miami Swim Week, where she walked the runway in a black one-piece swimsuit paired with high heels. Videos and photos from the event quickly spread online, leading to a wave of reactions from fans.
From Swimmer to Runway Star
Dragoi first became known to many sports fans during her time as a Division I swimmer at San Jose State University in California. Over the years, she built a strong social media following and earned the nickname “World’s sexiest swimmer” from fans. While swimming helped introduce her to a wider audience, she has now shifted much of her focus toward modeling and beauty pageants.
The latest runway appearance showed how far that journey has come. As clips from Miami Swim Week circulated online, fans flooded the comments section with reactions. One fan wrote, “Oh my.” Another joked, “I didn’t know they could make swimsuits out of asbestos.” A third simply added, “Just gorgeous.”
Andreea Dragoi’s Journey from Romanian Swimmer to Model and Beauty Pageant Winner
Before stepping into the modeling world, Andreea Dragoi represented Romania in swimming. Born in Bucharest, she competed in both World Junior Championships and European Junior Championships. She later attended the International School of Bucharest before making a life-changing move to California.
Her move to the United States opened new opportunities beyond sports. While studying and competing at San Jose State University, Dragoi also began entering beauty pageants. Her success came quickly. In 2022, she won both the Miss Ambassador title and the Miss California US Nation crown.
Speaking about her journey, Dragoi previously shared her excitement about moving to California and chasing her goals. “It has always been a dream to come to California, and now here I am,” she said. “I want to inspire everyone out there to start believing in themselves and do everything they’ve set their mind to. Everything and anything is possible, all it takes is trust, putting the work in, and always loving what you’re doing.”
She also explained how modeling gradually became a bigger part of her life. “Shortly after I moved here, I started getting more and more modeling jobs which made me happy as modeling has always been my dream since I was a little kid, but it always felt so unreachable. Now I’m competing in pageants as well which is a new passion and experience for me.”
Today, Dragoi continues to build her modeling career while remaining a familiar name among swimming fans who first followed her athletic journey.
