Olivia Dunne catapulted to social media stardom with her gymnastics posts during the pandemic in 2020. But when the 2021 NIL policy kicked in, her popularity soared even higher. At just 21, she brought a whopping 13 million eyes to the sport, turning heads and landing lucrative sponsorships that rocketed her to #3 on the top 5 list. Now, she’s back for a fifth year, ready to make more waves with the LSU Lady Tigers.

While things have changed drastically, the 2024 NCAA champion wasn’t in the best of spirits ahead of the historic feat. Despite not suffering career-ending injuries, the LSU Tigers star suffered some serious and nagging injuries. These recurring injuries nearly led the Livvy to quit ahead of the 2024 season.

During Amazon Prime’s docu-series The Money Game, Olivia Dunne revealed how she felt. “I love gymnastics, but I would also love my body to be in one piece. I have two torn labrums, (and) a torn bicep, I have the worst shin splints ever. If I can fix some of these things and let my body rest during the off-season… Yeah, I don’t know,” she confessed in Episode 6: Love of the Game.

While Dunne still dreamed of singing off with NCAA championships, the series chronicled her doubt before the success. So, pushing aside the thought of aggravating her injuries, Dunne returned to gymnastics in February 2024. With Livvy on the team, the LSU Tigers made a statement at the SEC championships, winning Louisiana State’s fifth SEC title ever.

However, the 21-year-old had to wait until April 2024 to realize her ultimate goal. Olivia Dunne wanted to win the National Championship in her final year at LSU, and that’s exactly what she did. The only woman in the top 5 of the NIL 100 list made history by earning LSU its first team gold medal at the 2024 NCAA Championships.

Yet, even after meeting her gymnastics goal, Olivia Dunne didn’t feel at ease. “I am eligible for a fifth year because of my freshman year, which was a COVID year,” the NCAA champion said in Episode 6. However, now it’s no secret why she felt restless, as Livvy Dunne realized she wasn’t ready to retire in her famous “Not Dunne yet” post on social media.

Olivia Dunne is in pursuit of greatness

“If I can fix some of these things and let my body rest during the off-season… Yeah, I don’t know,” Dunne confessed in The Money Game. Dunne even teased retirement in February, the same month she returned to gymnastics. “The sport that I’ve done for 18 years will come to an end in less than 2 months,” she said in a TikTok video.

The 21-year-old gymnast-influencer overcame several challenges, including recurring and debilitating tibial stress syndrome flare-ups. All the hard landings during the dismount have battered Livvy’s shins. Meanwhile, swinging on the uneven bars for years has taken her labrums beyond the breaking point. Even in March, the gymnast said, “I’ve not decided if I’m coming back.”

It seemed her only focus was to win a national title and then it would be all over. Yet Olivia Dunne isn’t ready to let another shot at history pass her by. The New Jersey native who fulfilled her childhood dream at LSU is ready to risk it one last time to become a two-time NCAA champ. Will she succeed once again? What do you feel? Write your views in the comments.