The NIL queen and one of the most dazzling gymnasts in collegiate gymnastics today, Olivia Dunne, has been shining for years. Back in the spring of this year, the LSU gymnast posted a witty yet touching message, “Not Dunne yet,” before announcing that she would be back for one final season at LSU. This time around, she is expected to defend the title the LSU Tigers earned this year.

Olivia made history with the Tigers by claiming the NCAA Championship trophy—the first ever in LSU’s storied gymnastics legacy. During the 2024 season, the 22-year-old dynamo dominated nine meets, stunning audiences with her flawless bar and floor routines. Olivia also scored a career-high 9.900 on the floor at NCAA Fayetteville and the Podium Challenge to highlight the team’s talented performance. Now, as she prepares for her last year in college, Olivia Dunne is shedding light on the gritty life gymnasts lead—because it’s not always fun cartwheels and beam smiles.

Olivia Dunne gives a reality check!

Olivia Dunne took to TikTok on December 13th, sharing a series of powerful slides featuring her in a purple leotard on the mat. Every slide had a different caption that described the situation that gymnasts have to go through in the best way. She covered all from being referred to as “too muscular” to dealing with mental blocks and beam bites. One slide said, “When someone jokes about gymnastics but they’ve never been made fun of for being ‘too muscular.'” The second one said, “When someone jokes about gymnastics but they’ve never had to be homeschooled to train 8 hours a day growing up.”

The captions also discussed the emotional and physical toll, such as growing up watching their bodies change in a leotard every day. Another slide was, “When someone jokes about gymnastics but they’ve never had to go to the Karolyi Ranch.” Olivia’s honesty gave fans an eye-opening glimpse into the challenges gymnasts endure, proving that behind the glittery floor routines is a world filled with sacrifices. As soon as Olivia Dunne released her TikTok, the fans flooded her with support as she spoke the truth about the lives of gymnasts.

One of the fans wrote, “I so sorry, you are perfect just the way you are and are so beautiful! That is so terrible for someone to do. 💗💗” It’s clear Olivia doesn’t deserve any of the negativity. Not only is she stunning and has landed major NIL deals like SI Swimsuit, making $4.2 million from those deals, but she’s also an elite gymnast. From her elite debut at the 2014 American Classic to her present-day achievements, such as the NCAA championships in 2024, Olivia proves she’s just as remarkable on or off the mat—pure talent through and through! But this was just the start of the overwhelming support Olivia Dunne received, with fans flooding her comments from all sides!

Gymternet supports Dunne over the heartbreaking reality!

Yup, you heard that right! Most of the fans quickly headed to the comments section to support Olivia Dunne. A user said, “Thank you for being a role modle that I wish I had growing up doing gymnastics.” And we couldn’t agree more! Livvy began gymnastics at the age of 3 at the ENA Gymnastics in New Jersey. Ever since she stepped on the elite list in 2014, she has been making headlines. In 2015, she re-qualified for elite status at the WOGA Classic, where she scored 52.750 and came fifth. Off the mat, Olivia has reached massive NIL success with her 20 million followers on Instagram and her growing content on TikTok, making her not only an athlete but a role model for fans.

Another fan joined in with, “Karolyi Ranch will forever haunt me.” Wondering why? Well, as every young gymnast, Olivia Dunne had always wanted to be an Olympic gymnast. By the time she was 10, she was an elite gymnast, training every day for the dream of representing her country in the future. Unfortunately, an injury dashed her lifelong ambition. In addition to that, her Olympic dreams were dashed by Karolyi Ranch, the Texas gymnasium where the abusive culture reigned. “I remember the first time I went, I thought it was going to be a fun summer camp with gymnastics. No. I was completely wrong. It shut down, obviously, because it was not a good place,” Dunne shared in an interview with Elle.

It doesn’t end here! As another fan commented, “I think your sport is wonderful, hard work dedication throughout your whole life. cause once it’s there, it’s yours forever.” Gymnastics, while visually stunning, is undeniably one of the toughest sports out there. The scientific studies now confirm what many have long suspected—gymnastics takes a toll, both physically and mentally. From grueling training sessions to the pressures of perfection, it demands unwavering commitment and countless hours of hard work.

As comments like, “Sacrifice is the only way to achieve that elite status. Thank you for the introspect, no one really would understand.” Continue pouring in it’s clear Olivia Dunne gave fans a reality check they didn’t expect. We usually see them performing on the mat, but Olivia’s insight into what really happens behind the scenes is eye-opening. What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments!