Olivia Dunne.Photo:Silver Chang for ELLE
Silver Chang for ELLE
Olivia Dunne is snapping back at criticism she received earlier this year after “cringey” groups of boysbegan causing security issuesat her Louisiana State University gymnastics team’s meets.
“I can’t help the way I look, and I’m going to post what I feel comfortable with. It’s hard to handle at times, definitely, because I am just a 20-year-old student. I think people do forget that.”
The incident occurred at LSU’s opening meet of the season in Salt Lake City, Utah. Dunne was not competing at the meet because of an injury, but groups of boys in the crowd continued to chant “We want Livvy! Give us Livvy!” during other gymnasts’ routines,Sports Illustratedreportedat the time.
Then outside, a group of her fans chanted at people walking out of the arena, some leaning over guard rails and frantically asking, “Where is Livvy?” as others screamed, “Give us Livvy!” and “We want her!”
“This is actually so scary and disturbing and cringey. I’m embarrassed for them…,”tweetedformer gymnast and ESPN analyst Samantha Peszek, who took video of the scene.
The incident reportedly caused LSU to move its team bus to a different area, while coach Jay Clarksaidlater the team would increase its security at away meets.
Olivia Dunne.Silver Chang for ELLE
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“To see a woman winning? People sometimes have a lot to say,” Olivia toldELLE. “If you’re a woman at the forefront of something, when you’ve got eyes on you, people are going to downplay your success and say that you’re not doing it right, that you don’t deserve all the opportunities. I don’t want to say ‘F you,’ but the best way to get that to stop is to keep being successful at what you’re doing, because your success, and love for what you do, will outshine any of that.”
Dunne is heading into her senior year at LSU as one of the highest-earning college sports stars of all-time under the NCAA’s new NIL (“name, image, and likeness”) rules that allow athletes to make money off endorsement deals. With 7.6 million followers on TikTok, Dunne makes an estimated $3.3 million per year, according toOn3, which tracks college athlete’s endorsement earnings.
The gymnast recently launched the Livvy Fund, which helps women athletes at LSU connect with brands in order to reach their own endorsement deals.
“It’s really important to raise as much money and awareness for these incredible women athletes who won’t have the same opportunities after college,” she toldELLE. “There are collectives in NIL, which mostly go to the men’s sports, and I think that’s extremely unfair…I wanted to let other women student athletes know that anyone can do this.”
source: people.com
