logo
Why Did Olivia Dunne's Olympics Dream ‘Die' Despite Having a Stellar NCAA Career?

Why Did Olivia Dunne's Olympics Dream ‘Die' Despite Having a Stellar NCAA Career?

Time of India5 days ago
Image via Imagn: Olivia Dunne
Imagine training your whole life, dominating the NCAA scene, and being on track to represent your country at the Olympics. only to have it all taken away. That's exactly what happened to Olivia Dunne.
She started gymnastics at just 3 years old and made it to the U.S. national team in 2017. Everything was going perfectly until an ankle condition called osteochondritis dissecans changed everything.
The injury crushed her Olympic dreams before she even had the chance to compete on the biggest stage. Recently, Olivia opened up about the heartbreaking experience and how it shaped her both as an athlete and a person.
Olivia Dunne's Injury Woes Ended Her Olympics Dream
The 22-year-old appeared on WWE giant, Stephanie McMahon's podcast, 'What's Your Story?' and explained why she let her Olympics dream die.
'I was actually competing on a hurt ankle [at] the 2018 USA Championships and part of my ankle bone died.'
After the event, Dunne was diagnosed with osteochondritis dissecans, which caused the bone underneath the cartilage to lose the flow of blood and turn obsolete. She added, 'It's called an OCD, it just died, so my Olympic dreams died with it.'
Livvy Dunne opens up about NIL, Olympic dreams & 'sex sells' | What's Your Story? With Steph McMahon
She added, 'I did compete for Team USA, and we would go to Italy, compete, we won gold.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You
Dubai villas | search ads
Get Deals
Undo
That was one of the biggest honors of my life. But, I mean, it was just not the right environment for me, and I kept getting hurt, you know what?, I'm going to go enjoy the sport again in college, go to LSU, heal up, and enjoy and love the sport.'
For those unfamiliar, Olivia Dunne began her collegiate gymnastics journey in the 2020–21 season and played a key role in leading the LSU Tigers to their first-ever NCAA championship title in 2024.
She also earned WCGA All-American honors in 2021, marking herself as one of the standout athletes of her generation.
Olivia Dunne Calls Out The New York Times for Sexist Remark From 2022
Dunne officially retired from gymnastics in April 2025, but her impact didn't stop there. She has since used her platform to uplift and support women in sports. In a recent podcast appearance, she even called out The New York Times for an alleged sexist remark made in their 2022 article. Back in 2022, they ran a controversial piece on Olivia Dunne titled 'New Endorsements for College Athletes Resurface an Old Concern: S*x Sells.
' The article drew backlash for describing Dunne as 'a petite blonde with a bright smile and a gymnast's toned physique.'
Recently, Dunne spoke out against the story and especially the headline, revealing what happened behind the scenes. 'They came to our gymnastics facility at LSU, took pictures of me. They said, 'Wear your team-issued attire, put on a leotard. And they took a picture of me standing in front of the beam, like any gymnast would, and then they blew it up on the screen and put the headline, 'S*x Sells.'
She continued, 'Okay, well, you just came into the facility and took pictures of me in our team-issued attire and blew it up on a screen… So I was like, 'okay, well, this is crazy.' And there was obviously a lot of backlash to the New York Times because of that.'
Also read:
5 Smart Deals That Turned Roger Federer Into A Billionaire
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Cycling-Vos surges to opening stage win in Tour de France Femmes
Cycling-Vos surges to opening stage win in Tour de France Femmes

Hindustan Times

time26 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Cycling-Vos surges to opening stage win in Tour de France Femmes

July 26 (Reuters) - Dutch rider Marianne Vos claimed a jaw-dropping 258th career victory when she prevailed in the first stage of the Tour de France Femmes, a 78.8-km hilly ride from Vannes to Plumelec on Saturday. HT Image The three-time road world champion, 38, prevailed at the top of the Cote de Cadoudal (1.7km at 6.2%) after her Visma-Lease a Bike teammate Pauline Ferrand Prevot cracked in the final metres to finish third behind Kim Le Court of Mauritius. While Ferrand Prevot could not convert, she showed impressive strength when she attacked 700 metres from the line, a move that underlined the mountain biking Olympic champion's title credentials. Vos, who will wear the yellow jersey in Sunday's second stage, surged past in the final 50 metres and raised her arm in celebration, just like Ferrand-Prevot. After a dozen riders were involved in a crash as the peloton rolled towards the start of the stage, Maud Rijnbeek and Laura Tomasi formed the day's breakaway. Rijnbeek went solo after 23 kilometres before Tomasi was swallowed by the peloton. Swiss rider Marlen Reusser was involved in another crash at the foot of the Cote de Cadoudal, a 1.7-km ascent at 6.2%. Reusser, who finished second in the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta, later abandoned with stomach problems, her Movistar team said. Defending champion Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney, who beat Demi Vollering by just four seconds last year, finished fourth in the same time as the winner. Vollering was fifth, three seconds behind. (Writing by Julien Pretot; editing by Pritha Sarkar)

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty Bow Out Of China Open In Semi-Finals
Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty Bow Out Of China Open In Semi-Finals

NDTV

timean hour ago

  • NDTV

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/Chirag Shetty Bow Out Of China Open In Semi-Finals

India's top doubles pair Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty bowed out of the China Open after suffering a straight-game defeat to Malaysian second seeds Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in the semifinals of the Super 1000 badminton tournament here Saturday. The Asian Games champions once again found themselves on the losing side against the world No. 2 Malaysian duo, who have proven to be a persistent hurdle in their path. Satwik and Chirag went down 13-21 17-21 to 2022 World champions and two-time Olympic bronze medallists Aaron and Soh. This was the 14th meeting between the two pairs, with the Malaysians maintaining a dominant 10-3 head-to-head record. Notably, Aaron and Soh had also ousted the Indian pair in the quarterfinals of the Tokyo Olympics. "We had our chances, especially in the second game. I think we were not playing the right game. We were playing strokes which we shouldn't have, taking more on Aaron and I think that's what took the game away from us," Chirag said. "It was a good tournament but sad that we had to go out this way. We should have played a little more tactically. We had planned it but we didn't execute it as well. "It will take some time. think we're still not at our 100 % as yet. We need to get these matches. I think we can't be as sloppy." Despite the setback, Satwik and Chirag can take heart from another strong campaign at the Super 1000 level. The Indian pair had booked their place in the semifinals with a hard-fought win over another Malaysian duo, Ong Yew Sin and Teo Ee Yi, in the quarters on Friday. It has been a season of consistent performances for the Indian pair, who also reached the semifinals of the India Open, Singapore Open, and Malaysia Open earlier this year. While they have yet to convert those deep runs into titles, their steady presence in the business end of major tournaments keeps them among the top contenders on the circuit. They also reached the quarterfinals at the Indonesia Open and suffered a second-round exit at the Japan Open last week. "It was quite difficult after the Olympics. To change everything suddenly. I was injured, I changed my trainer as well. When we started again, we started quite few personal issues, then played All England, then lot of injuries," Satwik said. "So there is no right rhythm at the right time. Once you're playing good again, we are getting some break. "But overall if you look back, I think we are on the right page. We are doing all things right. It just needs to be believed. And it's just a matter of time I think. Once we get playing continuously Tournaments, I think we'll be there." The Indians have sent their entries for the Macau Open super 300 but the next big title will be the World Championships in Paris in August 25 to 31. "We are not putting any expectations. We'll see how it goes," Chirag signed off.

'It's one Steph Curry' — DeMar DeRozan says copying Golden State Warriors star is misleading for Hoopers
'It's one Steph Curry' — DeMar DeRozan says copying Golden State Warriors star is misleading for Hoopers

Time of India

time2 hours ago

  • Time of India

'It's one Steph Curry' — DeMar DeRozan says copying Golden State Warriors star is misleading for Hoopers

(Image Source - Getty Images) Stephen Curry's groundbreaking influence on basketball has transformed the sport for an entire generation. His unique talent for hitting three-pointers has encouraged numerous young players to mimic his approach. Nevertheless, DeMar DeRozan, a long-time NBA star and six-time All-Star, has a word of caution for aspiring players: pursuing the 'Steph Curry model' might lead them in the wrong direction. DeMar DeRozan tells young players not everyone can be Stephen Curry In the 7 PM in Brooklyn podcast, DeRozan had a chat with young players and their parents, encouraging them not to feel the need to copy Curry. 'I never want young guys that's coming up to feel discouraged, like they've got to go out there and be Steph Curry,' DeRozan said. 'Everybody's just not going to be Steph Curry. It's one Steph Curry.' His remarks underscore the fact that Curry's skill set stands out, even among NBA legends. DeRozan made this comment while addressing how young players tend to neglect various facets of the game in their quest for Curry-like shooting ability. DeMar DeRozan on Issues with Today's NBA Players, Lost Art of Midrange, Lessons from Master P & More DeRozan went further, emphasizing the uniqueness of Curry's abilities: 'What he's able to do is incredible. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Villas For Sale in Dubai Might Surprise You Villas in Dubai | Search Ads Get Info Undo I think we would never see nobody else like that.' This announcement points out how rare Curry's combination of shooting accuracy, basketball IQ, and stamina is. Being a four-time NBA champion and an 11-time All-Star, Curry's game encompasses more than just three-point shooting. His ongoing movement, ability to interpret defenses, and talent for making space distinguish him as a truly unique athlete. Stephen Curry's Stamina helps sustain him shooting all game long DeRozan being wary is seen in the challenges that the young players encounter whenever they attempt to copy the style of Curry. Most people only focus on his shooting of three pointers, yet most of the time they overlook those details that make him unique. The off-ball movement by Curry is one of the best in NBA history and this has assisted him in making open shots even in the tight defense. His fitness enables him to maintain a strong standard of play in the whole game and it is not something that everybody can achieve. Moreover, shooting mechanics that Curry has practiced throughout the years of his life are hard to replicate. Numerous young athletes who look up to Curry often find it hard to thrive in the NBA. DeRozan notes that players such as Trae Young, the star of the Atlanta Hawks and a great three-point shooter, have their own unique way of playing, even if they share a few traits with Curry. Also Read: Ja Morant's viral dunk in China reignites debate over his NBA Dunk Contest absence despite fan pressure 'It's one Steph Curry,' he remarked, a straightforward but deep recognition of Curry's unique talent. As young athletes embark on their basketball paths, DeRozan's message inspires them to carve out their own niche, allowing them to excel in their own style without pursuing the impossible. FAQs What makes Stephen Curry's game unique according to DeRozan? His shooting accuracy, stamina, and off-ball movement are unmatched. What NBA team does Stephen Curry play for? Stephen Curry plays for the Golden State Warriors. What playing style does DeRozan promote for young athletes? He promotes mastering the mid-range and staying true to one's game. For real-time updates, scores, and highlights, follow our live coverage of the India vs England Test match here. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store