Olivia Dunne shares witty message after pulling off special move during runway show for major magazine

The former LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne shared glimpses from the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit runway show at Swim Week and accompanied the post with a witty caption. Dunne made her debut at the SI Swimsuit runway show and captured the audience's attention with a jaw-dropping split on the catwalk.

Olivia Dunne began her association with the brand in 2023 and has featured in the SI Swimsuit edition for three consecutive years. But this year is special, as she marks two major debuts, one as a cover model and the other on the SI Swimsuit runway.

Apart from making her runway debut, Dunne also opened the show at W South Beach in Miami on Saturday, May 31. In her first look, she wore a zebra-printed bikini paired with a fitted white baby tee.

Followed by her second look, in which she donned a black and white polka dot one-piece swimsuit, and in this outfit, she pulled off a flawless, top-notch split that brought the house down.

Dunne posted the event highlight on Instagram with a cheeky nod to her split pose, captioning the post:

“it all happened in a split second ;)”

The 22-year-old is also a content creator, having built a massive following over the past few years, with more than 12 million followers across Instagram and TikTok. While with the LSU Tigers, she was the highest-paid female college athlete through NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals. In 2023, she also launched The Livvy Fund, aimed at helping female LSU athletes land brand endorsements.

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Olivia Dunne’s reaction to being featured as one of the cover models of the 2025 SI Swimsuit

Olivia Dunne at Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Launch of 2025 Issue - Source: Getty

Olivia Dunne appears on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit 2025 edition, alongside fellow gymnast Jordan Chiles, actress Salma Hayek Pinault, and model/activist Lauren Chan. Dunne’s cover shoot was photographed in Bermuda.

Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Dunne was overwhelmed with emotion when the team revealed she would be featured on the cover.

“Are you kidding me? Thank you so much. Oh my god, MJ (SI Swimsuit Editor-in-Chief), this is a dream come true. 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.”(via Sports Illustrated swimsuit)

She later also revealed swimwear choices, especially animal prints:

“Like my [SI Swimsuit] cover, I’m loving animal print and mix-matched animal prints. It never goes out of style, and it’s so fun and youthful.” (via Sports Illustrated swimsuit)

Olivia Dunne recently concluded her collegiate gymnastics career with the LSU Tigers and announced her retirement from gymnastics in April 2025.