Ilona Maher and Haley Baylee Make a Splash at the 2026 SI Swimsuit Runway Show—Literally

After heating up the runway during Swim Week in Miami on Saturday, May 30, the two models cooled off with an impromptu dip in the pool.

Ilona Maher and Haley Baylee | Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images for Sports Illustrated

Honestly, what’s Swim Week without a little swimming? It’s in the name, after all!

SI Swimsuit models Ilona Maher and Haley Baylee certainly took this sentiment to heart on Saturday, May 30, when the two stars appeared at the annual SI Swimsuit Runway Show in Miami. Held at the luxurious W South Beach, models and friends of the brand alike strutted their stuff on the catwalk, showing off some gorgeous designer looks, many of which featured this year’s biggest upcoming summer trends. You can check out all of the model’s runway looks here.

Staying on theme, the catwalk itself was surrounded by water, making it the perfect backdrop for a Swim Week-themed show. And, as it turned out, it was also perfect for an impromptu dip to cap off the evening!

Maher and Baylee make a splash at Swim Week

Kicking off at 9 p.m. ET, many of the models who graced the pages of SI Swimsuit’s 2026 issue took their turn on the runway. The star-studded show—which will be available to stream in full for the first time on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ beginning Tuesday, June 9—featured countless fashion-forward moments, fan-favorite celebrities and plenty of surprises, including a live performance by the one and only Lizzo and appearances by several pro dancers from ABC's hit competition show Dancing With the Stars.

As the evening wound down, all of the models who walked in the show then returned to the runway in SI Swimsuit-branded looks for a final spin and a farewell to the audience. And in a moment of pure joy and whimsy, Maher and Baylee grabbed hands before taking a running leap into the water surrounding the catwalk, making for one seriously splashy finale—pun very much intended!

Fans and fellow models love the fun moment

Maher’s sister, Olivia Maher, captured the moment live before posting the clip on Instagram. At the time of this article’s publication, the viral video has nearly 3 million views and over 125,000 comments in under 24 hours, many from fans and fellow SI Swimsuit models applauding the relatable spur-of-the-moment decision.

“AND she was the second one ready for red carpet after 🫳🏼🎤,” Lauren Chan revealed. Remi Bader simply added, “Unreal.”

“EPIC,” Penny Lane declared, while DWTS pro Val Chmerkovskiy wrote that both stars were “The absolute best!!!! ❤️❤️.”

For the 2026 issue, Maher—who recently took home Rookie of the Year honors for her 2025 SI Swimsuit shoot in Bermuda—reunited with the magazine for her third overall shoot, this time taking to the sun-soaked sands of Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Baylee joined Maher in Mexico, marking the content creator’s fourth overall shoot with SI Swimsuit. This year, she appeared in the magazine for the first time since her 2021 feature in Hollywood, Fla.

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