Olivia Dunne’s Comeback Speculations Get a Twist by 7-Word Message From USA Gymnastics

Published 05/07/2024, 9:58 PM EDT

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After bagging the maiden national gymnastics title in LSU Tigers’ leotard, Olivia Dunne dropped a hint regarding her fifth-year return for the Tigers. The 21-year-old already completed her 4 years in LSU and because of the Pandemic year, she is now eligible to continue for an additional year. So speaking on that chance, Olivia Dunne expressed, “It [the title victory] definitely makes me want to come back, but I haven’t quite thought about it completely, I’ve just been focused on the now and winning this national title, so I’ll definitely start thinking about it.” Now, weeks after earning the national title, she has received a boost from USA Gymnastics to channel her thinking. 

Recently, Olivia Dunne posted an IG snippet showcasing her floor exercise, donning the purple leotard. The snippet is from one of her past performances at the NCAA gymnastics level. USA Gymnastics’ IG handle made it more interesting by commenting “Cheering you on no matter what’s next!” The comment understandably points to Olivia’s fifth-year return decision, which is still pending. But after the national title victory as well, Livvy has been doing well in keeping a zip on the matter. In a recent conversation as well, she added to a possibility. 

 

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“I did have a meeting with the coaches today actually, and we did come to a decision,” Livvy had revealed. She furthered the suspense by asking to stay in the loop. Now, it will be interesting to see if such a post from USA Gymnastics affects her decision. Meanwhile, she joined her colleagues at the Mikey Awards just a few days back to celebrate the annual title distribution at LSU. Last season, the Baton Rouge native played a defiant role in the LSU Tigers’ medal-earning journey. 

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Olivia Dunne still holds the X-factor

In the last season, LSU Tigers’ HC Jay Clark utilized Olivia Dunne’s potential with thorough planning. The social media star cum gymnast didn’t feature in most of the matches. However, in the pivotal moments, Livvy did her part. One such came to the second round of NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Regionals last season. 

Olivia scored 9.90 on the floor exercise in that game. Eventually, the performance came after short notice, and that, too, was in the anchoring position. That performance helped the LSU Tigers pull a victory and secure a place in the NCAA Regionals. That is how Livvy has always been up for the team and that is something she is never out of focus amid her widespread popularity on social media. This is something that Jay Clark had also pointed out once.

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We don’t call her Livvy. That’s another person. She’s Olivia or Liv. When she’s in that gym, she’s a gymnast and a teammate and a student at LSU. Everything that’s on social media and on the internet, that’s not part of our day-to-day interactions. That’s to her credit. She wants to be part of this team and wants us to be successful,” Clark had said about her commitment to the team. Interestingly, that very social media fame of Livvy gave made Clark crack some lighthearted comments, going beyond his image of a serious mentor. 

When Olivia Dunne’s newly signed multi-million dollar deal with Passes is making waves in college athletics, Jay Clark has something to add to this. “I did joke with Liv one time when she wasn’t doing well one day. I said, ‘How do you want me to handle this? Since you make 10 times what I make,” the veteran coach said a few days ago. Now, with such brewing chances, Livvy’s fans are already craving for the final announcement. 

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Written by:

Prasun Chakrabarty

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Prasun Chakrabarty is an Olympic Sports Writer for EssentiallySports, who specializes in covering aquatic arena events. Post his experiences with prominent publications, Prasun began his days in ES, by actively covering two prime events - 2023 US Open Swimming Championships and the 2024 TYR Pro Swim Series. Prasun's coverage extends beyond the pool, and he takes specific interest in the progress of the triangular rivalry between track and field stars, Sha’Carri Richardson, Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
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Edited by:

Bhujaya Ray Chowdhury