Olivia Dunne’s ankle injury wasn’t the only reason she was willing to walk away from elite gymnastics and her dream of competing at the 2024 Olympics. As she said during a “BFFs: David Portnoy, Josh Richards & Bri Chickenfry” appearance, “The elite gymnastics program is pretty dysfunctional.” Dunne didn’t go into detail, but she did address it in a small way during a 2023 chat with Elle that saw her recall her experiences at the since-shut-down Karolyi Ranch.
“I remember the first time I went, I thought it was going to be a fun summer camp with gymnastics. No. I was completely wrong,” Dunne explained. “It was honestly abusive there.” Still, Dunne stuck it out for six summers. As she explained to Elle, “That was the only way to make your dreams come true as a gymnast.” However, once she was done, she never looked back.
That’s not to say Dunne isn’t super supportive of gymnasts headed to Paris, though. Speaking to Sports Illustrated on the 2024 ESPYs red carpet, she praised Simone Biles. In reference to Biles pulling out of the last Olympics for mental health reasons, Dunne noted that she believed she’d come back stronger than ever. “I think she’s out for revenge and she’s gonna probably win,” she said. As for Dunne, she’ll be happy to support from home.
