Olivia Dunne Shares Her Favorite Photo From Her 2023 SI Swimsuit Photo Shoot

The NCAA athlete was photographed for the magazine by Ben Watts in Puerto Rico.

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Puerto Rico.Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

NCAA gymnast Olivia Dunne was one of two college athletes featured in the 2023 SI Swimsuit Issue, a very first for the publication. The LSU Tiger has been practicing gymnastics since she was three, and the 20-year-old will soon enter her senior season as a collegiate athlete.

At such a young age, Dunne has already accomplished so much both on and off the mat. As the highest-paid female collage athlete in the country, she’s garnered brand deals with the likes of Vuori Clothing and American Eagle, and earlier this year, she traveled to Puerto Rico for her first-ever editorial photo shoot with visual artist Ben Watts.

We caught up with Dunne during SI Swimsuit launch events in May at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - Hollywood, Fla., to chat about everything from her time on location on the Caribbean island to her amazing support system and more.

View Olivia Dunne’s full 2023 SI Swimsuit gallery here.

While Dunne got to model several incredible swimsuits throughout her photo shoot, she says that one look in particular stood out as her absolute favorite.

“All the bikinis this year were inspired by Wednesday Addams, which I think was really cool because Jenna Ortega just played that role in the Netflix series,” Dunne says. “I would say my favorite is probably the Gucci suit because I just feel like that was an iconic piece and I love the way it fit and it made me feel really confident.”

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Puerto Rico. Swimsuit by Gucci.

Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Dunne also reveals that the image she likes best from her complete gallery is one in which she’s wearing the very same cut-out designer GG Stretch Jersey Swimsuit ($720).

“My favorite shot was this one of me on my knees in the sand with the water coming up from the ocean and I’m in that suit, and it just made me feel really awesome,” she adds.

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Puerto Rico. Swimsuit by Gucci.

Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

And no matter whether Dunne is wearing a swimsuit at the beach or a leotard in the gym, she knows that being self-assured is her best accessory.

“I feel like confidence is not really like what you wear, it’s just a mindset that you have,” she says. “So if you go into the day before you shoot already feeling confident, in a good mindset, then the pictures will speak for themselves.”

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