'Oiled myself up and dropped': Livvy Dunne opens up on sexy runway split
'I've never walked a runway a day in my life,' former LSU gymnast says
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Olivia Dunne has revealed what was going through her mind before she decided to do a split on a Sports Illustrated runway in Miami this past May.
The former LSU gymnast showed off her acrobatic skills during the show and wowed the crowd when she dropped down and demonstrated her extreme flexibility.
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'Oiled myself up and dropped': Livvy Dunne opens up on sexy runway split Back to video
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The jaw-dropping move quickly went viral, racking up more than 15.9 million views on TikTok with Dunne, 22, sharing the moment with her 8 million followers along with the caption, “A split decision.”
During a recent appearance on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story? podcast, Dunne said that she had to battle her nerves because she had no experience walking a runway.
“I went to Miami. I had no clue what to expect,” Dunne explained. “I’ve never walked a runway a day in my life. I’ve only ever walked in my bedroom mirror after watching the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show growing up.”
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Dunne said she decided to do the split because she wanted to show off her personality.
“I decided right after the rehearsal … I was talking with my sister – I was consulting with only people I knew would agree with me. I was like, ‘Should I do a split?’ And they were like, ‘… Yeah. Just go for it.’ So, I asked the head lady (SI editor MJ Day) and she was like, ‘Honestly, just have fun with it because this is not an ordinary runway …’ And I kinda think dropping into a split would be fun and show my athleticism. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen anybody do it,” Dunne said.
“When watching a fashion show like Sports Illustrated, (people) wanna see personality, they wanna see movement, they wanna see you having the time of your life, because it really was in the moment. It was so fun. And yeah, I oiled myself up and dropped into a split … It was so much fun,” she continued.
As she walked off the catwalk in a black and white polka-dot swimsuit, Dunne, who boasts more than 13 million followers across Instagram and TikTok, bumped hips with DJ Xandra Pohl.
She later returned to the runway wearing a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit crop top and leopard-print bikini bottoms.
Dunne previously explained her decision to show off her splits by saying she “got triple dog dared” in an X post.
“It’s probably the most excellent split I’ve ever seen. Bravo,” one person wrote, cheering on Dunne’s manoeuvre.
“That’s the kind of confidence and smile everyone should have,” another added.
The influencer’s gymnastics career came to an end after she suffered an injury. But despite her setback, Dunne said she was determined to take part in Sports Illustrated’s annual Swimsuit Issue.
“Fun fact: I was shooting on a fractured kneecap, so poses like this and the cover shot kind of hurt, but it was honestly so worth it,” Dunne said in an Instagram clip highlighting her photoshoot.
This year, Dunne was one of four cover models selected alongside actress Salma Hayek, model Lauren Chan and fellow gymnast Jordan Chiles.
“That is crazy,” Dunne said when she found out she had been picked to grace the issue. “I am a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover model … Are you kidding me?”
According to Forbes, Dunne was once the most followed and highest-earning female sportswoman in the NCAA and is considered a pioneer in the Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) era of college athletes.
Dunne officially retired from gymnastics in April, announcing her decision in an emotional social media post.
“Gymnastics, you have filled my heart and will always be a part of me,” she shared on Instagram. “You shaped me into the person I am today.”
During an interview with PEOPLE this past May, Dunne, who is dating Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, opened up on her future plans now that her gymnastics career has come to a close.
“I’ve always said ‘no’ to opportunities way more than I’ve said ‘yes’ — so, I’m excited to do everything and be able to travel and to be able to do things on my time because it’s always been around gymnastics,” Dunne told the magazine.
“My life has revolved around gymnastics,” she continued. “So, honestly, to be able to say yes to more things and potentially maybe do some more performing art stuff on screen — and I’m very excited.”
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