Born and raised in Australia, Jessica Gomes spent much of her adolescence labeled a tomboy by her friends and family. Her predilection for sports and outdoor activities only cemented this feeling, although she finally did start to embrace her feminine side after her parents sent her to finishing school at the age of 13. Shortly after, Jessica Gomes managed to land a stint on an Australian series entitled Bush Patrol, which undoubtedly provided the would-be entertainer with her first taste of fame.

At 17, Jessica Gomes’ blossoming good looks led her to a local modeling contest, and it wasn’t long before local agents and photographers were crawling over one another to shoot the exotic beauty. She quickly climbed up the ranks of the local modeling scene, appearing in the pages of high-profile magazines like Vogue Australia, Glamour, and Teen Vogue. Jessica Gomes’ profile received a considerable boost after she appeared in Victoria’s Secret’s catalog, and there was little doubt that a move to New York City was the next logical step for the up-and-coming model.

As a New York-based model, Jessica Gomes discovered a whole new world of opportunities at her feet and she subsequently began taking on gigs for a variety of companies and labels. In addition to campaigns for well-known names like Gap, Hush Puppies and DKNY, Jessica Gomes also began expanding her resume with attention-getting appearances on The Today Show and Project Runway. Her seemingly ubiquitous presence eventually caught the eye of no less than P. Diddy, who hired Jessica Gomes to promote his new fragrance “Unforgivable Woman.

Jessica Gomes’ hard work and perseverance paid off in early 2008 when she was added to the roster of Sports Illustrated’s highly anticipated Swimsuit Issue. Alongside such up-and-coming models as Melissa Haro, Yasmin Brunet and Quiana Grant, Jessica Gomes made a splash in her extensive layout which was photographed by such well-known names as Randall Grant and Raphael Mazzucco. Her risque spread, which was shot entirely at the Dead Sea in Israel, is surely destined to propel her to the next level of fame, and it’s just a matter of time before Jessica Gomes is as familiar a face as Gisele Bundchen, Jessica Stam and Raquel Zimmerman.

So it came as no surprise to us, then, that Jessica Gomes was chosen for the 2009 SI Swimsuit Issue again, which came out in February.