Gymnast Olivia Dunne has turned the US on its head. The 20-year-old from New Jersey in the USA goes to college, where she focuses on gymnastics.
She often posts acrobatic videos from competitions, and of the fans who follow her.
And there have been many of them. Dunne has become a phenomenon in the last year.
The woman, who goes by the nickname “Livvy”, has already been named America’s new “golden girl”. The 20-year-old has almost ten million followers in social media, which has led to millions in income, but naturally also slaughtered in time and out of time in the wake of the aforementioned videos.
IN PLACE: A tiny part of Olivia Dunne’s fan base. Photo: NTB
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It may not be quite The Beatles conditions quite yet, but wherever the gymnast, representing Louisiana State University (LSU), competes – commotion and mayhem ensue.
With the wild conditions comes drama. The school has been forced to take action to protect the 20-year-old. She has her own bodyguard, and the school had to put in several security measures to ensure that she can focus on her career.
Earlier this year, there were strong reactions when a video of the gymnast’s fans was shared on social media. The behavior was branded as both disgusting and embarrassing, and created strong reactions:
– There was a mob-like feeling out there, and it was worrying for me who is responsible for the children’s welfare and safety, said Jay Clark, gymnastics coach for Louisiana State to CNN.
The session ended with the protagonist himself reaching out to his fan base, which unfortunately has not been given its own name yet (although Dagbladet humbly wants to throw out the suggestion “Livvyators”).
– I will always appreciate your love and support, but if you come to a competition, I hope you respect other athletes.
TRIBUTES THE FANS: Olivia Dunne with the fans during a convention. Photo: NTB
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One of those who knows all about what it’s like to compete in the USA is Swedish superstar Armand Duplantis. The man with an American background attended LSU himself, but he has never experienced the likes of some Dunne conditions:
– It’s completely crazy, and I know it’s being discussed in the US. There are a lot of young men who are completely crazy, he adds The Express.
REACTS: Armand Duplantis. Photo: NTB
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Duplantis continues:
– I don’t think anyone has been involved in anything like it. That is why it has become such a big deal, says Duplantis.
Superstjerna hopes that the younger generation manages to combine the need for marketing with a focus on their own sports career:
– You don’t want it to overshadow what you actually do. It is not so difficult for men, but for women it is something completely different. It’s tough being a female athlete now. It sickens me that they have to balance two worlds like that. Actually, I think they just want to focus on the sport, says the world record holder to Expressen.
