Gymnast Olivia Dunne Debuts in SI Swimsuit Issue

Louisiana State University gymnast and junior college athlete Olivia Dunne is the highest-paid college athlete in the country — and now, she’s one of the first college athletes to appear in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit issue. The only other one will also be featured in this year’s issue.

You’ve probably seen Dunne’s content pop up on your Tic Tac Or Instagram feed, where she is known as “Livvy” and shares insight into everything from her LSU practices and competitions to her workouts and outfits with her 11 million combined followers.

As much as Dunne capitalizes on his fame on social networks to succeed, Current NCAA Name, Image and Likeness Policy entered into force in July 2021; Before that, college athletes weren’t allowed to make money through brand deals or sponsorships — she’s also determined to make a bigger impact. “Women’s sport is something I want to support and leave my legacy on,” Dunne said. People in an interview about his appearance at SI. “I want to show other athletes that you can have it all, especially women.”

Dunne has been criticized for “‘exploiting’ her sexuality to gain endorsement dollars,” according to SI Swimsuit editor MJ Day, but she and Dunne are quick to correct that line of thinking. “We are here to celebrate this incredible young woman and encourage the world to respect and applaud Livvy and her fellow athletes for carrying the blood, sweat and tears that fueled a lifetime of accomplishments,” Day said in the release. . SI Announcement. Dunne added to that, telling People, “I can be an athlete, I can be strong, I can be beautiful, I can be confident and sexy — and sometimes people don’t really realize that.”

When the opening of LSU’s gymnastics season in January brought packs of unruly male fans harassing other competitors who were not Livvy, Dunne did not hesitate to post a tweet demand respect from other gymnasts and the gymnastics community.

“Girls are not responsible for boys’ bad behavior,” she said. Sports Illustrated. “A lot of gymnasts are taught to keep quiet, which has led to a lot of abuse in the sport. I want to be part of the new generation that tells girls to use their voices. You can be comfortable in your own skin and be strong, sexy and smart.”

Dunne has cited Olympic gymnast, abuse whistleblower and former SI Swimsuit model Aly Raisman as an inspiration. “I’m also a really big fan of when Aly Raisman did her photoshoots for SI Swimsuit (in 2017 and 2018) because she has always been one of my role models in the gymnastics world,” Dunne said. IF. “And I just feel like she’s using her spotlight to bring awareness to survivors of the abuse in women’s sport“.

Dunne could very well be part of what fuels the changes behind women’s sports, which include finally gaining a foothold toward the type of platform that men’s sports enjoy. This year Women’s NCAA March Madness (won by none other than LSU)for example, set attendance and audience records, while generating unprecedented buzz on social networks.

“I hope I can bring attention to how amazing college sports are and how tough college athletics are. People don’t see (behind the scenes) my college sports every day, and that takes a lot time,” Dunne told SI. “In gymnastics, a lot of people only watch the Olympics every four years, and I feel like I’ve been able to use my platform to bring an audience to college gymnastics, and people are starting to see how important All these gymnasts are amazing.”

This year, the 2023 NCAA Gymnastics Championships set a viewership record with more than 1 million viewers across ESPN platforms, according to Sports at receptionin part thanks to Dunne and other star gymnasts, including Olympians UCLA’s Jordan Chiles And Sunisa Lee of Auburn.

What’s next for Dunne? On creating a fund to raise money for women’s sports and mentor other athletes, she told SI, “I want to show young girls that you can have it all.”

The 2023 edition of the annual SI Swimsuit issue hits newsstands May 18.