Livvy Dunne Pinpoints Exact Moment When Her Gymnastics ‘Olympic Dreams Died'

NEED TO KNOW

• Olivia "Livvy" Dunne revealed on the What’s Your Story? With Stephanie McMahon the exact moment she knew her gymnastics Olympic dreams were over
• The former LSU gymnast announced her retirement from the sport in April 2025, saying "goodbye" to the sport she knew and loved since she was three years old
• Dunne is currently on the road to recovery after sustaining a knee injury in March

Livvy Dunne had eyes on the gold.

The former LSU gymnast, 22, recalled the reason why she doesn't plan to compete in the Olympics when speaking on the What’s Your Story? With Stephanie McMahon podcast released on Thursday, July 17.

Dunne, who announced her retirement from the sport in April, cited a brutal injury she sustained as a teenager, which led to a medical condition that limited her athletic ability.

"I was actually competing on a hurt ankle (at) the 2018 USA Championships," she said on the podcast episode, adding, "And part of my ankle bone died... so my Olympic dreams died with it."

The athlete said she was diagnosed with Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), a condition in which bone beneath the cartilage of a joint dies due to lack of blood flow, per the Mayo Clinic, noting that it can also cause pain and possibly hinder joint motion.

"It was so painful,” said Dunne, who previously competed with Team USA in 2017.

"That was one of my first real injuries," she shared, adding, "I’ve actually never gotten any surgery, which is kind of crazy for a gymnast."

In March, Dunne suffered an avulsion fracture and has been on a road to recovery ever since. She shared an update on her knee injury with PEOPLE when speaking at Fanatics Fest in New York City three months later.

"I fractured my kneecap during my gymnastics season, and it's getting better slowly but surely. I've been grinding nonstop ever since the season ended, but I think that it is getting a little bit better," said Dunne.

An avulsion fracture happens when a fragment of the kneecap detaches because of an “excessive pull of the quadriceps tendon or patellar ligament,” according to the Cureus Journal of Medical Science.

As Dunne transitions into her next chapter, she said she's "definitely" feeling a change in her lifestyle.

"I feel like as an athlete, I've always been disciplined and I've always had my finger on the pulse of what worked for me and what didn't," she told PEOPLE, adding, "Even the slightest difference in gymnastics is huge, but, it definitely is a little bit different being a non-athlete anymore."

"It's like I'm still trying to find the balance," she continued, citing summers and friends as two things she was looking forward to doing now that gymnastics is behind her.

Dunne, who was named a 2025 Sports Illustrated Swim cover star, also hinted at more "on screen" work when speaking with PEOPLE exclusively on the red carpet at the issue's launch party in May.

"My life has revolved around gymnastics," the former college athlete told PEOPLE at the event. "So, honestly, to be able to say yes to more things and potentially maybe do some more performing art stuff on screen — and I'm very excited."

When asked by PEOPLE if that was a tease for acting, Dunne had a hinting response.

"I don't know, I don't know!" she replied, adding, "Stay tuned!"

Read the original article on People