Originally appeared on E! Online
Olivia “Livvy” Dunne is letting go of a lifelong goal.
The Louisiana State University gymnast revealed she had to dash her dream of competing in the Olympics after suffering a brutal injury 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 during the July 17 episode of the What’s Your Story? With Stephanie McMahon podcast, “and part of my ankle bone died.”
The 22-year-old explained that she was diagnosed with Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), a condition in which bone beneath the cartilage of a joint dies from improper blood flow and can hinder joint motion, according to the Mayo Clinic. She explained that when part of her bone died, her “Olympic dreams died with it.”
“It was so painful,” she continued. “That was one of my first real injuries. I’ve actually never gotten any surgery, which is kind of crazy for a gymnast.”
READ ESPY Awards 2025: Lindsey Vonn’s Sister Rescues Her From Red Carpet Wardrobe Malfunction
Earlier this year, Dunne — who previously competed with Team USA in 2017 — was forced to sit out her last competition of her academic career due to a separate injury.
“Unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with an avulsion fracture of my patella and will not be able to compete on senior night,” she wrote in a post on her Instagram Stories in March. “It absolutely breaks my heart to not get the opportunity to compete in the PMAC one last time. Tiger fans, you’ve been so good to me!”
One month later, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model — who is dating Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes — formally announced her retirement from gymnastics after devoting most of her life to the sport.
“Time flies when you’re having fun,” she said in a video posted on Instagram at the time. “That’s exactly how the past 20 years in this sport have felt.”
Duune went on to say that her time on the mat “shaped me into the person I am today” as she thanked her parents and coaches “for pushing me to be great.”
“Time did fly by,” she concluded, “and I will cherish every memory for the rest of my life.”
PHOTOS Channing Tatum
