Olivia Dunne has become one of the biggest names in the NCAA gymnastics realm. Following a stellar career for LSU, Dunne has slowly built her empire, which is currently valued at $6 million. Notching up significant NIL deals with Nautica, Snapchat, Microsoft, Nautica, Vuori, and many more, Livvy Dunne is now aiming for the sky. And just as even the brightest lamps have a dark shadow, Dunne’s ascension to greatness is not devoid of negativities. 

While Dunne will be coming back to LSU for her final season this year, the gymnast heartthrob is also a full-fledged businesswoman. Despite having difficulty balancing her life as a student and a professional, that is not the only issue that plagues Dunne’s mental peace. As a woman athlete, she is subjected to significant trolls on the internet. In the modern world of the World Wide Web, where every minute detail gets noticed, it becomes all the more difficult to keep a cool head. 

Appearing on the Best of Both Worlds podcast with Flau’Jae, Livvy Dunne spilled the beans on how she handles online trolls. Dunne said, “I’m sure you get it with people and trolls online like even to just the the art of like trying to stay silent during certain things.” The LSU gymnastics princess also mentioned that one wrong comment can ruin her image as well as her business, which can be catastrophic.

Moreover, being the name Olivia Dunne, she just does not represent herself. If Livvy Dunne makes a statement, it also has an impact on the reputation of LSU and the brands that she is a part of. Thus, considering the above variables, Dunne emphasized on mastering the art of ignoring the negativities and focusing more on her work. Interestingly, Livvy Dunne’s approach towards not reacting to online hatred is quite similar to that of Simone Biles. 

Simone Biles’ agent urged her to turn deaf ears to trolls

Simone Biles, having reached the pinnacle of gymnastics greatness, has also faced an overwhelming amount of scrutiny and hatred. During the Tokyo Olympics, when she pulled out due to the dangerous ‘twisties,’ a mental condition that can be life-threatening for gymnasts, nearly half of America turned against the 7-time Olympic gold medalist. The backlash was so intense that Biles felt as though her own country hated her. Despite the waves of negativity, Biles chose to remain silent, a decision influenced by advice she received from her agent.

In a candid interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Biles reflected on how her agent had taught her to hold back in the face of criticism. The lesson came to the forefront again when her husband, NFL star Jonathan Owens, sparked controversy. A few months ago, Owens jokingly referred to himself as “the catch” in their relationship, sparking outrage from fans online. The backlash was immediate, with Owens facing intense criticism. Biles, hurt by the attacks on her family, emphasized that the comment was made in good humor and that Owens is an incredible person.

Biles also revealed that she had wanted to clap back at the haters at that time. But despite having “Twitter fingers”, Biles’ agent asked her not to do so. The US gymnastics queen said, “Yes. Because whenever I was younger I used to have Twitter fingers too. Oh, okay. Like my agent, like mon, can you take that down? No, no. You know, because I would go off on people because who are you to say? And so now and then if I say something it’s like slick and clever.” Thus, taking a similar approach towards brushing off all the negative energy, both Simone Biles and Olivia Dunne are well on their path toward ultimate gymnastics glory.