The opportunity to become a back-to-back champion at LSU was just too much for Olivia Dunne to pass up. She announced in July that she was “not Dunne yet” and returning for her fifth year.
The announcement came in the middle of an ESPY appearance, multiple Sports Illustrated Swimsuit events, concerts and her first MLB All-Star Red Carpet. Which lets you know she’s serious.
FORT WORTH, TX – APRIL 20: Olivia Dunn of the LSU Tigers warms up at Dickies Arena ahead of the 2024 NCAA Championships in Fort Worth, Texas on April 20, 2024. (Photo by Chris Parent/LSU/University Images via Getty Images)
Livi had already made millions in NIL and had a future looking forward to continuing all of those events, and returning to LSU meant she would be working on gymnastics for an extended period of time again.
She chose to work hard, never realizing at the time how competitive the SEC would be. Southern Connecticut State University graduate Sydney Smith, who has been called “the most flexible gymnast in the world,” is returning to the team for her fifth year.
Now, the rising social media star has announced that she’s doing just that at the University of Georgia.
This internet rivalry has blossomed into a real-world rivalry, which has motivated both sides to get back to work, and on Tuesday Livi was busy doing just that.
Game on: Olivia Dunn and Sydney Smith’s rivalry heats up
The fifth-year gymnast shared some preseason content on Tuesday, letting everyone, including Sydney, know that this summer hasn’t been all fun and games — she’s been putting in the work.
This will be a very interesting battle, and only time will tell how it all plays out. Does LSU have the team to win back-to-back championships? Are the Bulldogs a formidable opponent?
We’ll know the answer once gyms start filling up again for live competition. Having two content powerhouses come together in one conference is a big move for gymnastics.
Is the SEC big enough for both? Questions abound.
That’s the beauty of competition: it brings out the best in people. We’ll see who has the best team and who has the best content: Olivia Dunn or Sydney Smith.
