Olivia Dunne Flaunted Her Sun-Kissed Glow in a Plum Two-Piece While in Portugal

College gymnast and internet phenomenon Olivia Dunne returned to the pages of SI Swimsuit this year.

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Portugal. Swimsuit by Angelys Balek. Necklace by Island Swim. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

When it comes to social media influence, 22-year-old Olivia “Livvy” Dunne is the absolute queen. The New Jersey native, who just returned to LSU for her fifth and final year with the Tigers gymnastics team, is the most-followed NCAA athlete and the highest-paid female college athlete. As an advocate for college students securing NIL deals as she has, she launched The Livvy Fund in 2023 which aims to create endorsement deals for female student-athletes.

That same year, she all but broke the internet when making her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit debut, featured as an Athlete, posing for photographer Ben Watts in Puerto Rico for a flawless spread. Rocking sporty and unique one-pieces and bikinis, the celeb was a tanned goddess in each photo. But honestly, I think her second shoot with the brand is probably my favorite, as she returned just this year to be photographed by Watts again, this time in Portugal.

Maybe it’s the beautiful Portuguese backdrop with all of its history—I personally absolutely love visiting the country—or maybe it’s the gorgeous cottagecore aesthetic the shoot brought, but Dunne looked positively angelic for her second feature where she was recognized as a Rookie. Among the many stunning swimsuits she donned, an underrated piece from Angelys Balek is worth looking back at. Showing off her tanned, lean yet muscular body, the gymnast proved her natural modeling abilities with this plum-colored two-piece, seen below.

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Portugal. Swimsuit by Angelys Balek. Necklace by Island Swim. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Olivia Dunne was photographed by Ben Watts in Portugal. Swimsuit by Angelys Balek. Necklace by Island Swim. / Ben Watts/Sports Illustrated

Paired with a statement necklace from Island Swim, Dunne was the picture of beauty in the shots above. This year’s magazine marked the 60th anniversary of the brand, and the gymnast was so excited to return for the milestone issue.

While making her SI Swimsuit debut last year, Dunne emphasized how important it was that her addition to the brand showed that women can be many things at once and don’t have to stay in one lane. “When people look at my Sports Illustrated photos I want them to take away that you can have the best of both worlds,” she shared while on set. “You can be an athlete, you can be in school, you can do modeling. You can have the best of both worlds and you can be a strong, independent woman while doing it all.”

With the amount of success Dunne has seen on and off the beam, her words certainly ring true. She’s an inspiration to people around the globe and a fantastic fit for the SI Swimsuit brand.