Olivia Dunne’s Exclusive Debut in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue

Gymnast Olivia Dunne is featured in this month’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue and talks about being a role model for young girls. She wants to leave a legacy of supporting women’s sports and showing that athletes can have it all, particularly women. Dunne is currently a junior at Louisiana State University and the NIL’s highest-paid female athlete, earning over three million dollars in brand deals.

Dunne’s appearance in the swimsuit issue is an “incredible honor,” and she is one of the first college athletes to be featured in print for the coveted issue. Dunne was in disbelief when she got the call and immediately called her mother and cried. SI Swimsuit Editor-in-Chief MJ Day says that Dunne’s appearance is a celebration of her owning her worth as an athlete and a woman. Dunne’s success comes from her fans’ appreciation of her consistent passion and hard work.

Dunne wants to show young girls that they have no limitations and can be athletes, strong, beautiful, confident, and sexy. Being a role model means breaking down stereotypes and showing that women can have the best of both worlds. Dunne believes that she can do what she loves every single day, which includes gymnastics, spending time with friends on the team, talking to her family, and being a student.

Dunne shot the spread in Puerto Rico with photographer Ben Watts, and the experience made her feel “so confident.” Everyone on set was kind and wanted to lift her up. Surprisingly, Dunne felt differently in front of the camera when wearing a swimsuit instead of a leotard on the mat. When she is in a leotard, she is fully focused on her sport, but when she shot for SI, she felt confident and loved what the brand stands for.

Dunne’s appearance in the SI Swimsuit Issue represents a significant moment for female athletes who are now able to take advantage of the NIL restrictions being lifted. Dunne, who has faced criticism during her rise to fame, has been able to leverage her worth as an athlete and a woman. Being a role model for young girls and showing them that they have no limitations is one of the most important things Dunne wants to do with her career. Women’s sports is something she wants to support and leave a legacy on, and her success shows that athletes can have it all, particularly women.

She also became a bit viral when recently hinted at being left on read in a TikTok video that she posted on Sunday. Dunne, who is also a social media influencer with over 7.4 million followers on TikTok, posted a video of herself dancing to the popular “Beyonce x My Husband” remix by Casa Di with the caption, “Me every time I get a snap back after 16 hours.” She also wrote, “He was probz just in the shower or smth,” in the same caption.

 

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The 20-year-old Dunne, who is believed to be single, responded to a comment in the same post that said, “there is no way someone is leaving Livvy Dunne on delivered,” with, “You’d be surprised.” This has led fans to speculate about who the certain someone is and why they are leaving Dunne on read.

This is not the first time Dunne has joked about the behavior of athletes in her TikTok videos. In a separate video that she posted last month, she spoofed “emotionally unavailable athletes” with the caption, “I need to focus on my sport.”

 

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Despite her social media presence, Dunne is still a top athlete in her sport. She is the NCAA’s highest-paid female athlete, earning seven figures as one of the top NIL earners, along with LSU basketball star Angel Reese. She is on a four-year athletic scholarship at LSU and has a career-high score of 9.925 on bars, which is her specialty. In March, Dunne scored a season-high 9.850 on the uneven bars at the SEC Championships in Duluth, GA, before going on to compete in the all-around events at the NCAA Championships in April. Her team, the Lady Tigers, advanced to the Final Four after finishing in the top spot at NCAA Semifinal I and finished in fourth place in the NCAA Championship. Oklahoma won its sixth national championship in nine years, with Florida finishing in second place, followed by Utah.

Dunne’s social media presence has undoubtedly helped her gain popularity and success outside of gymnastics. She has four million followers on Instagram and over 83,000 on Twitter. She often posts photos and videos of herself working out, as well as sponsored content for various brands.

 

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It is unclear whether Dunne’s recent TikTok post is about a current relationship or a past experience. However, it is not uncommon for athletes to struggle with relationships due to the demands of their sport. Athletes often have to travel for competitions, spend long hours training, and prioritize their sport above all else. This can make it difficult to maintain a healthy relationship with someone who does not understand their lifestyle.

Regardless of the reason behind Dunne’s post, it has certainly caught the attention of her fans and followers. Her posts are often lighthearted and relatable, which is likely why she has gained such a large following on social media. As an athlete and social media influencer, Dunne has been able to combine her passions and achieve success both on and off the mat.