WHILE some think beauty has a time limit, one woman has proven otherwise. Dr Nina Cash, 57, is on a mission to prove you can wear a bikini at any age and look good. The Californian woman modelled when she was younger, but it's in her 50s that she's really found her mojo.
She was named one of seven winners who were featured in the 60th Anniversary issue of Sports Illustrated in May 2024 and is often seen strutting her stuff to promote body positivity on the catwalk. Nina was a model in her younger years but put it on hold when she got pregnant with her daughter, who is now 30 and raised her as a single parent. Nina earned her undergraduate degree in Human Services, followed by a graduate degree in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding.
She pursued a doctorate in educational leadership, rising to the rank of associate dean at a university before retiring in 2022. But after retiring, Nina wasn't done and decided to revisit modelling. Since then, she'd been dipping her toes back into modeling, booking commercials and print jobs, as well as Peloton's holiday campaign.
But the mum took a leap of faith and applied to the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Search, and it paid off. Most read in Fabulous "I thought, 'Well, let me give it a shot to see if my look is in.' And it's been amazing, the reception I've been getting," she said.
When she was younger, Nina admired Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover stars like Cheryl Tiegs but never imagined she'd have the opportunity t.