Olivia Dunne’s ‘Dream Come True’ SI Swimsuit Feature Was Straight Out of a Fairytale

The LSU gymnast returned to the issue for the second time this year, traveling to Portugal for her 2024 feature.

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

Olivia Dunne is perhaps best-known as an LSU gymnast. When she broke onto the social media scene a few years ago, fans flocked to her various profiles for behind the scenes content from practice days and team bonding events, bus rides and competitions. She quickly racked up a massive following, which currently stands at 5.4 million followers on Instagram and 8.1 million followers on TikTok.

The 22-year-old likes to share her life with the world—and she has managed to profit off of her newfound celebrity, too. In recent years, she has become one of the highest-paid female college athletes under NIL policies. She turned her social media fame into a business venture, and an ultra-successful one at that.

But she’s never strayed away from being undeniably honest and raw on her channels, either. When boyfriend Paul Skenes entered her life over a year ago, her content reflected that. Dunne has found a new audience in the pro baseball pitcher’s fans, and since she likes posting content with him, finds that it’s a win-win situation.

As the Division I athlete has grown in fame, her résumé has grown with it. She now has dozens of magazine editorials to her name, including, of course, the SI Swimsuit Issue. Dunne made her debut back in 2023 with a trip to Puerto Rico that she called a “dream come true.”

When she returned to the brand set this year for her official rookie photo shoot, her feelings about the experience hadn’t changed. If anything, they had simply intensified. “Last year I said it was a dream come true—and nothing’s changed. It’s still a dream come true. I can’t believe I can call myself a rookie. It feels unreal,” Dunne reflected while walking through the Duoro Valley in Portugal.

This year was different in some ways, though. Her latest feature took place in the verdant green Portuguese countryside rather than on a white sand beach. But while the aesthetics of her 2024 photo shoot certainly differed from those of her 2023 photo shoot, the snapshots from the trip were just as radiant as ever. Thanks, in part, to the skill of photographer Ben Watts and, in part, to Dunne’s natural abilities in front of a camera, the feature was all we could have hoped for.

But don’t just take our word for it. Take a look at the following photos—a handful of our favorites—and decide for yourself.

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Portugal. Swimsuit by Ola Vida. Skirt by Bāben. Necklace by VANESSA MOONEY. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrate

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Portugal. Swimsuit by Swim Like A Mermaid. Bolero by Free People. Earrings by Cleopatra’s Bling. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrate

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Portugal. Swimsuit by Ola Vida. Necklace by Classic Silver, certified as Filigrana de Portugal. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrate