Former LSU gymnast and social media darling Olivia Dunne has posed in a unique cheetah print bikini during her photoshoot for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. The photos have been all the rage on Instagram recently, even though Dunne was the cover model for the May issue of the magazine.
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At the time of the release of the photographs earlier in the year, the editor-in-chief of the publication said the following in a statement:
“Olivia Dunne’s why goes far beyond the floor and bars—it’s about changing the game for athletes everywhere. She was one of the first to leverage the power of name, image and likeness deals, building a brand that’s both financially successful and rooted in showing the real Livvy,” SI Swimsuit editor in chief MJ Day explains. “She’s not just a social media sensation; she’s a pioneering force who has created opportunities for herself and, by extension, countless other athletes by demonstrating how to navigate the intersection of sports, business and digital influence.”
This was the third appearance of the former gymnast on the famed magazine, having debuted during a shoot in Puerto Rico in 2023 and doing a second one in Portugal in 2024. All her photoshoots have been with photographer Ben Watts.
Olivia Dunne’s reaction to being named a Sports Illustrated cover model for the third year in a row
During a vacation earlier in the year, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit approached Dunne to take an interview to reflect on the previous shots she had had with the magazine. Little did she know that it was all a ruse to inform her that she would be on the cover of the publication for a third year in a row.
When given the news, she replied
“Are you kidding me? Thank you so much. Oh my god, MJ, this is a dream come true,” Dunne gushed with small tears of joy forming in her eyes. “I can’t believe it. Oh my god. That photo is so good. That is crazy, I am a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model. This bikini … this was the one. I felt like such a baddie in it. This is the best day of my life. This is so exciting.”
Olivia Dunne finished her college career in April of 2025 with the end of LSU’s gymnastics season. Despite not being the star of the team, she became a symbol of the NIL revolution, with $4.1 million in endorsements and securing the No. 1 spot for the best valued female student athlete during the latter half of her career.
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