Olivia Dunne is merely 20 years old and her fame is bursting through the roof. The Louisiana State University student and gymnast enjoys an online and offline fandom like no other. But the fans she garnered throughout her time at LSU and competing in NCAA Division 1 only came after she made a major sacrifice to her career early on. Dunne, who is 6 years younger than gymnastics GOAT Simone Biles, could’ve followed in her footsteps. But instead, she chose a different life for herself.

Dunne’s decision to not pursue elite gymnastics early on in life allowed her to focus on her college and collegiate-level gymnastics. She could thus build her own brand with her massive social media following, become a swimsuit model, and so much more. The mere dream of making it to the Olympics was left behind at a young age.

A dream sacrificed too soon

Olivia Dunne recently spoke about her childhood spent in gymnastics, her entry into the sporting world at a very early age, and then subsequently taking a major decision to sacrifice professional commitments in that sport at a young age too. As a child who used to climb walls, hang from bars, and was always on the lookout for more adventures, Dunne’s potential in gymnastics was untapped.

She told Yahoo, “Elite gymnastics [was] definitely a sacrifice. My childhood was full of gymnastics. The atmosphere in the gym was very intense.”?For Dunne, who still does what she loves, it was a tough choice to make given the fact that gymnastics has been a part of her life forever. She continued, “Our collective goal was just to make the Olympics. That was my dream growing up.”

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Unlike most American girls with an interest in athletics, the Olympics was on the radar for Dunne. Dissimilar to Simone Biles, Dunne “just decided why not be healthy, go to school and enjoy college and gymnastics.”

Simone Biles and Olivia Dunne chose opposite paths to find their successes in life

Simone Biles, on the other hand, took the opposite path to Dunne and shone through like a bright beacon of light. The 7x Olympic medalist from Columbus, Ohio, truly served as an inspiration to millions of girls around the world. It was her 4 gold medals at the Rio Olympics that put her on a pedestal. While presumably Dunne was one of those millions who got inspired by her, she chose a path in life based on her mental and physical health and her personal needs in life.

Olivia Dunne also admits that it was no simple task to give up on her dreams all at once. And that too at such a young age. However, her love for the sport of gymnastics hasn’t reduced one bit. Even after she got banned by Tiktok once, she quickly returned back to gymnastics. The 2023 Sports Illustrated swimsuit model continues to follow her chosen path.

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