Amanda Beard has appeared in SI's Swimsuit Issue. Stewart Shining/SI

SI: Have you met Hefner?

Beard: I met him not too long ago for the first time. I was doing an interview for the Best Damn Sports Show Period and he was there with his girlfriend. I met him briefly. He was a sweetheart.

SI: Have you been to the Playboy mansion?

Beard: No. I was invited once before for a pre-ESPY thing. I did not make it out. But I'd love to go the mansion.

SI: What do you say to the people who suggest that posing nude is sexist or reinforces negative stereotypes about female athletes?

Beard: I do something if I feel comfortable doing it, and if I feel my family will get behind me on it, I couldn't care less what other people think. I work extremely hard to get the body that I have, so I kind of want to flaunt it a little bit before it goes away.

SI: Have you heard from the swimming community about the Playboy shoot?

Beard: Most people have said nice things to me. It's not very often people say mean things to me. My training group has not really talked to me about it. I think that's because I am a little more reserved when I am at practice, so I don't know if they even feel it is appropriate to speak about outside business. We have talked about it a little bit in the locker room. Me and the girls have chitchatted about it and they think it is pretty cool. They have guy friends who have requested autographs.

SI: Who was the first person you told you were doing this?

Beard: My dad, because I run everything by him when it's my career.

SI: What was his reaction?

Beard: Everyone has been extremely supportive and excited. I told my Dad I could give him an edited version where I put black strips over certain parts so he doesn't feel awkward. My family has been telling people to buy a bunch of copies. It's been fun for them.

SI: Why did you want to pose for Playboy?

Beard: I heard that they wanted me to pose and it just all came together really nicely. I got of a lot of control of the photo shoot. I got to pick my photographer. I got a lot of say in how I wanted to approach the shoot. I got a lot of control over such an amazing and reputable magazine that I would absolutely be a fool not to do this. Then I started to be extremely flattered that they even thought of me. I jumped on the opportunity. I am kind of a control freak so I wanted to do it as long as I could make it where I was coming through in the photos.

SI: Do you think people recognize you today more a cover model or a swimmer?

Beard: It's half and half. It depends where I am. I was shopping the other day and a couple of people came up to me and said, "You're Amanda, the swimmer." So people relate to me as a swimmer because they have seen me swimming but they also know I do more like modeling as well.

SI: You were once the world's downloaded athlete?

Beard: I know, that is weird.

SI: It is weird. What's it like knowing that?

Beard: I was like, What, are they downloading. I guess that is flattering but I don't know. I know I have not downloaded anything of myself.