BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA: As Olivia Dunne gears up for her senior year as an LSU gymnast, she is not only focused on her performance on the mat but also on her personal safety. The 21-year-old athlete has taken steps to beef up her security following an incident last year.
Olivia Dunne addresses security concerns
In a recent conversation with PEOPLE, Dunne discussed her increased security and reflected on her journey leading up to this season. She expressed gratitude for the support and protective measures LSU has put in place after the horrid incident in Utah.
The Louisiana University "really helped" her put in place appropriate security measures after a frightening incident last year, she tells 'People'.
"Actually, we've got it settled down a bit," Dunne said about her safety concerns.
Dunne further said, "We haven't competed since last season, so we'll see what this season holds. But after the incident in Utah that happened last year, we now have a security guard that travels with the LSU gymnastics team."
Olivia Dunne's safety in question following Utah incident
The incident in question occurred during a meet at the University of Utah when a chaotic scene unfolded outside the venue. Swarms of young men gathered, chanting "We want Livvy! Give us Livvy!" during other gymnasts' routines, as reported by 'Sports Illustrated'. The situation prompted police intervention and the LSU team bus was relocated to avoid any confrontation with the group of boys.
Utah sports writer Josh Furlong reported, "There's literally a line outside of the Huntsman Center of teenage boys that keep asking if Livvy is coming out. I've never seen anything like this." This incident raised significant concerns over the safety of Dunne.
As she enters her senior year at LSU, Dunne acknowledges the challenges that come with her growing fame and is learning to navigate the public eye. She described the past year as "one of the most rewarding and most difficult years of my life", emphasizing the new experience of having countless eyes on her.
Olivia Dunne and Paul Skenes try to keep relationship private
Dunne has also been in the public eye for her romantic relationship with baseball player Paul Skenes. While there were speculations about their relationship, Skenes confirmed their dating status in August. He admitted that the attention on their relationship can be challenging at times during an interview with 'The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette'.
In response, Dunne shared her insights on maintaining a balance between her private life and her digital presence. She mentioned that they try to keep certain aspects of their relationship private, despite the public's interest.
Dunne reveals that she now has a better grasp on handling the various aspects of her life. Over the past few years, she has faced the challenge of managing Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) opportunities and other commitments.
Olivia Dunne concludes, "That's really important because if you don't have balance, that can affect your mental health. I finally feel like I got a grasp on it this year. It's just compartmentalizing things mentally is very important in my everyday routine."
