In April, Olivia Dunne was revealed to be Sports Illustrated’s newest swimsuit model.
Dunne, a gymnast at LSU, has more than 7 million followers on TikTok and another 4 million on Instagram.
The 20-year-old called the opportunity a «dream come true» but it came so close to not happening at all.
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LSU’s Olivia Dunne poses for photos before a game against Auburn at Neville Arena on February 10, 2023 in Auburn, Alabama. (Milne Stew/Getty Images)
Dunne detailed his experience with the photo shoot at the On3 NIL Elite Series in Nashville on Wednesday.
According to OutKick, who moderated the event, swimsuit photo shoots typically last about a week. However, when Sports Illustrated approached her mid-season, her coach only gave her one day.
Olivia Dunne at the 58th Ford Center Academy of Country Music Awards at The Star on May 11, 2023 in Frisco, Texas. (Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty Images)
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But it was an opportunity he was not going to let slip away.
So he hopped on a plane to Puerto Rico hoping to get 24 hours of sunshine.
Goal Achieved: The sun shone through the session and she returned to LSU the next day.
«Being a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model is a dream come true,» Dunne said in a video posted to the publication’s Instagram page in April. «There are a lot of young girls who look up to me, and I feel like a lot of young girls follow Sports Illustrated as well. So our two brands, I think, align because we both want to inspire the younger generation.»
«As a woman, no one really expected a gymnast to be in front of (name, image, and likeness agreements). Most people expected football, baseball, basketball. Being a woman in front and trying to create the field of game». more level, it’s definitely a step in the right direction,» she added.
Olivia Dunne and guests attend a yoga session as Sports Illustrated Swimsuit celebrates the launch of the 2023 issue with Swimsuit Island at The Guitar Hotel at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on May 21, 2023 in Hollywood, Florida. (Alberto Tamargo/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated swimsuit)
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Dunne is about to go senior for the Tigers. His junior year was hampered somewhat by injuries, but when he was able to compete, he drew a massive crowd and helped lead LSU to victory.