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“Student Before an Athlete”: 20-Year-Old Millionaire College Gymnast Opens Up on Balancing Studies With Social Media Fame

Published 04/11/2023, 7:45 AM EDT

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Olivia ‘Livvy’ Dunne has emerged as the most popular college gymnastics star on social media. In fact, with a combined social media following of over 10 million, Dunne is arguably the most popular gymnast in America. The 20-year-old also holds the distinction of being one of the richest college athletes in the country. However, it can be a daunting task to manage fame while meeting academic and athletic expectations. 

Earlier, Instagram posted on the LSU (Louisiana State University) Tigers gymnast. The post immediately went viral and within 12 hours garnered over 400,000 reactions. It’s no surprise the 20-year-old college gymnastics star has gone viral on social media, again. However, in the exclusive post, Dunne opened up on how she balances her studies with social media fame.

Olivia Dunne has a hierarchy of priorities

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In the featured post, Livvy revealed her journey as a gymnast and a student-athlete and her future goals. The student-athlete also revealed how she attends university, practice gymnastics, and posts on various social media platforms without letting one affect the other. The LSU gymnast mentioned that she has her priorities straight.

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“In terms of balancing school, social media, and gymnastics, I take it one thing at a time,” said Dunne. She then revealed that all three elements are part of her daily routine. “I wake up, go to school, go to practice, and then, social media after,” said Dunne. “That’s how it goes every single day,” Livvy added.

 

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The 2017 Joleso trophy winner said studies, gymnastics, and social media are all “important” to her, but there is a hierarchy to her priorities. “It’s called a student-athlete for a reason — being a student before an athlete,” said Livvy. Olivia Dunne also disclosed her future goals in her sport.

A harbinger of change

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In the viral Instagram post, Livvy revealed that gymnastics is closely tied to her social media fame. “I really want to spark confidence and show that you can have it all,” revealed the 20-year-old. Dunne also said that representing her country on the international stage was a “significant milestone.” However, she wants to do more in her sport.

Livvy talked about being the change she wants to see and work towards “equality for women” in gymnastics and “in all sports.” The LSU Tigers gymnast also gave a shoutout to her teammates.

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Watch this story | Gymnastic queen Smone Biles dazzles fans with her newly launched spring collections

While it’s no easy task managing fame and meeting academic expectations while performing at the highest level in college gymnastics, Dunne takes the simple approach of prioritizing things.

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Written by:

Sagnik Bagchi

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Sagnik Bagchi is a sports writer at EssentiallySports who specializes in American sports. He has a deep understanding of combat sports, gymnastics, and weightlifting. He holds a Master's Degree in English Literature from a top university.
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Edited by:

Simar Singh Wadhwa