Olivia Dunne Stuns on Runway at Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Show

MIAMI BEACH, Florida — Former LSU gymnast Olivia Dunne captivated the audience at the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Runway Show on Saturday night, where she performed a stunning split to close her walk down the catwalk.

Dunne, 22, opened the show in a black and white polka dot bathing suit with red bows, showcasing her gymnastics talent as she finished with a flawless split at the end of the runway. Her performance was met with roaring applause from the crowd at the W South Beach.

The gymnast-turned-model smiled brightly as she walked back up the runway, interacting with fellow attendees including music artist Xandra Pohl. Dunne also donned a cheetah-print bikini during her appearance, reflecting her versatility as both an athlete and a model.

“This is a dream come true,” Dunne expressed on social media, sharing her excitement about being featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit earlier this year. She described her modeling journey as a seamless transition, despite recent challenges stemming from a knee injury.

Dunne has amassed a significant following on social media, with over 8 million followers on TikTok and 5.3 million on Instagram. Her success comes after she led the LSU Tigers to a national championship in 2024, although her final gymnastics season was marred by injury.

Besides her achievements in the fashion world, Dunne revealed in a recent TikTok video that she is facing unsettling experiences at airports, claiming she feels stalked by a group of men seeking her autograph. “They wait for me every time I travel, and it’s becoming overwhelming,” she said in her emotional video.

As she continues to make her mark in the modeling industry, fans and followers look forward to what Olivia Dunne will accomplish next.