Olivia Dunne Risks It All By Performing Crazy Gymnastics Moves In Tiny Bikini On The Beach [VIDEO]
Olivia Dunne may have stepped away from competitive gymnastics, but the former LSU star clearly has not forgotten the skills that made her one of the sport’s most recognizable athletes.
Dunne recently shared a beach video showing herself performing a series of gymnastics moves while wearing a small bikini. The clip quickly gained attention across social media as viewers watched her flip across the sand with the same confidence and body control she displayed during her college career.
The setting was far removed from an NCAA arena.
There were no judges, teammates or competition uniforms. Dunne was simply enjoying a day at the beach when she decided to demonstrate that retirement had not taken away her athletic ability.
In the video, she begins moving across the sand before completing a backflip sequence. Performing the routine on an uneven beach surface added another level of difficulty, but Dunne appeared comfortable throughout the attempt.
The bikini also offered far less support and protection than a standard gymnastics leotard, making the routine look even more daring to viewers.
The clip served as a reminder of the training Dunne completed over more than two decades in gymnastics.
Although she officially retired from competition in April 2025, the balance, flexibility and timing required to perform those moves do not simply disappear after an athlete leaves the sport.
Dunne made the routine look casual, but even a basic backflip requires coordination and control. Attempting one on sand can be especially challenging because the surface shifts beneath the athlete’s feet and does not provide the same predictable landing area as a gymnastics floor.
That did not appear to bother her.
The former LSU gymnast completed the sequence while maintaining control, then shared the moment with the millions of people who continue following her life after college.
Olivia Dunne Built A Historic Career At LSU
Dunne competed for the LSU Tigers from 2020 through 2025, spending five seasons with the program.
During that time, she became one of the most recognizable college athletes in the country. Her popularity extended well beyond gymnastics, but she also made meaningful contributions to LSU’s success.
The biggest moment of her college career came during the 2024 season, when LSU captured the first NCAA women’s gymnastics championship in program history.
That title gave Dunne and her teammates a permanent place in the school’s record book.
She had already earned individual recognition earlier in her career.
As a freshman in 2021, Dunne received WCGA Regular Season All-American honors on the uneven bars. She later recorded a score of 9.90 at the NCAA Championships.
Her personal best on the uneven bars eventually reached 9.925, while her highest score on the floor exercise was 9.900.
Those results reflected the technical skill and consistency required to compete at the highest level of college gymnastics.
Dunne was also part of a generation of athletes that changed how college sports handled name, image and likeness opportunities.
Her enormous social media following helped her build several major brand partnerships while she was still competing for LSU. She became one of the most financially successful college athletes during the early years of NIL, showing how athletes could build businesses without abandoning their academic or athletic responsibilities.
Her online popularity sometimes overshadowed her gymnastics career, but the beach video reminded viewers that her platform originally grew around a real athletic background.
Photo via Instagram
Her Final LSU Season Ended Earlier Than Planned
Dunne’s last year of college gymnastics did not end the way she had hoped.
During her fifth season of eligibility, she suffered an avulsion fracture in her kneecap in March 2025. The injury prevented her from competing during LSU’s postseason run.
Once the Tigers were eliminated from the NCAA Championships, Dunne’s competitive gymnastics career officially came to an end.
She announced her retirement on April 21, 2025, sharing an emotional video across her social media accounts.
The decision closed a gymnastics journey that had lasted approximately 20 years.
For an athlete who had spent most of her life training, competing and organizing her schedule around the sport, retirement represented a major change.
However, Dunne did not completely separate herself from gymnastics.
She has continued sharing occasional videos that show her performing familiar movements, stretching or testing whether she still has the ability to complete difficult skills.
The beach routine was the latest example.
The clip did not suggest that Dunne was preparing for a competitive comeback. It appeared to be a playful demonstration from someone who still enjoys using the abilities she spent years developing.
Her performance also showed that she remains physically capable of completing moves that most people would never attempt, especially while wearing a bikini on an unstable surface.
Dunne Is Exploring A New Career After Gymnastics
Since retiring, Dunne has begun moving toward opportunities outside college athletics.
She is reportedly set to make her television acting debut in Fox’s upcoming “Baywatch” reboot. The role represents a natural connection between her existing public image and the next stage of her career.
Dunne began pursuing acting and attending auditions following the end of her time at LSU.
Her experience in front of cameras could help with that transition.
She has spent years producing social media content, appearing in advertising campaigns and dealing with the attention that comes with being a high-profile athlete. Acting will require a different set of skills, but Dunne is not entering the entertainment world as someone unfamiliar with public exposure.
The beach video also fits the type of content that has helped her maintain a large audience.
It combines gymnastics, fitness, fashion and a relaxed vacation setting in a short clip that is easy to share. Dunne understands what attracts attention online, but the video still depends on athletic ability that cannot be created through editing alone.
She had to complete the flips.
That distinction is important because Dunne has often faced criticism from people who focus more on her appearance and social media success than on the years of work behind her gymnastics career.
The beach routine gave her another opportunity to demonstrate that the athletic talent remains real.
Dunne Has Not Lost Her Competitive Skills
Retiring from gymnastics does not mean an athlete immediately loses every movement learned during years of practice.
Dunne may no longer be preparing for meets or trying to earn a score from judges, but her muscle memory and understanding of technique remain visible.
The routine on the beach was brief, yet it required timing, flexibility and confidence.
It also carried some risk.
Sand can make takeoffs unpredictable, and an awkward landing could easily lead to an injury. Dunne appeared to understand the movement well enough to complete it without a visible problem.
The result was another viral moment for someone who has remained in the spotlight since leaving LSU.
Dunne’s future may now involve acting, brand partnerships and other entertainment projects rather than NCAA competitions.
Still, the beach video showed that gymnastics continues to be part of her identity.
She may no longer wear an LSU leotard or compete for championship scores, but the skills that carried her through a 20-year career have not disappeared.
Based on the effortless way she flipped across the sand, Dunne can still perform when a camera is pointed in her direction.
