Livvy Dunne reveals painful reason she gave up on Olympic dream

Autumn Hawkins

Livvy Dunne reveals painful reason she gave up on Olympic dream image

Olivia "Livvy" Dunne, 22, has revealed why she decided to no longer chase her Olympic dreams.

In a conversation with "What’s Your Story? With Stephanie McMahon" podcast, Dunne shared what injury had her second-guessing aiming for the Olympics.

“I was actually competing on a hurt ankle [at] the 2018 USA Championships,” Dunne said, “and part of my ankle bone died.”

Following her injury, Dunne was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans, which causes the bone underneath cartilage to lose blood flow and will eventually stop working. She shared that once she got the diagnosis, her “Olympic dreams died with it.”

“It was so painful,” Dunne continued. “That was one of my first real injuries. I’ve actually never gotten any surgery, which is kind of crazy for a gymnast.”

Despite the injury, Dunne was able to go on to help her alma mater, the LSU Tigers, win their first-ever NCAA national championship in 2024. She also went on to earn WCGA All-American honors in 2021 for her exemplary work on the uneven bars.

The gymnast achieved a career-high score of 9.925 on the uneven bars and 9.90 on the floor exercise during her time at LSU. She is widely known for her NIL (name, image, likeness) deals with brands such as American Eagle, Crocs and Nautica that have catapulted her estimated $4.1 million fortune, according to On3.

Dunne officially retired from the sport in April 2025 but has since been using her influence to inspire and support other women in sports.

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Autumn Hawkins

Autumn Hawkins is a freelance writer with The Sporting News. A New Jersey native, she got her start in media working in broadcast for WPRI, FOX Entertainment and the CW Providence as an entertainment producer and coordinator. She later held the role of National R&B and Hip-Hop editor for Beasley Media. More of Autumn's work can be found across OK! Magazine, Compulsive Magazine, Lowkey R&B and on-air with Beyond The Record.