Olivia Dunne thanks Paige Spiranac for standing up for her

Olivia Dunne has thanked Paige Spiranac for publicly supporting her when she criticized the New York Times for suggesting she uses her sexuality to make money.

Dunne was unhappy when, last November, a headline for a story she had been interviewed read: ‘New Endorsements for College Athletes Resurface an Old Concern: Sex Sells’.

She posted a picture of herself in her gymnastics gear with the caption ‘@NYTimes is this too much?’ and golf influencer Spiranac stood up for her on Twitter.

Now, speaking to Sports Illustrated, Dunne – who has an estimated wealth of around $2.3million – opened up on her relationship with Spiranac, 30.

‘Paige is just so great at showing that you can be beautiful and athletic and successful at the same time, so it just really is awesome to have someone like her stand up for me and be on my side,’ Dunne said. 

Dunne said how Spiranac has supported her when she has received criticism in the past

Dunne was previoulsy frustrated with how the New York Times had profiled her last year

‘The biggest thing I’ve learned so far is that you need to make sure to keep certain parts of your life private,’ Dunne said. 

‘Some things you don’t want the whole world knowing. That’s something that she kind of helped me with. Just keeping certain parts of your life private. Making sure not to post certain things that maybe you don’t want people’s feedback on.’

At the time of the New York Times article, Dunne was also criticized by Stanford basketball coach Tara VanDerveer.

VanDerveer insisted the social media strategy was a ‘step back’ in her criticism of Dunne.

‘I guess sometimes we have this swinging pendulum, where we maybe take two steps forward, and then we take a step back,’ she said. 

‘We’re fighting for all the opportunities to compete, to play, to have resources, to have facilities, to have coaches, and all the things that go with Olympic-caliber athletics. This is a step back.’

Spiranac said on Twitter: ‘I’m so sick of women belittling accomplishments of other women because it’s done differently than they would.

‘@livvydunne is getting hate for making 2 million a year. She’s built a successful business (at 20) all while being a student-athlete. That’s badass.’

Dunne started participating in gymnastics at the age of three, and the New Jersey native is now one of the top earners in collegiate sports after raking in her first million by the time she was 18. 

After years of competition, she made her elite debut at the 2014 American Classic and went on to join the U.S. national gymnastics team three years later. 

In 2020, she stepped away from elite gymnastics to compete at the college level at Louisiana State University.

Dunne said that Spiranac, 30, has shown ‘you can be beautiful and athletic and successful’

The 20-year-old Dunne has an estimated wealth of around $2.3million due to her deals  

Dunne grew her social media following by sharing an inside look at her glamorous life as an NCAA gymnast. 

By August 2021, she was the most-followed college athlete with five million combined followers across multiple platforms. As of November, she has amassed more than eight million followers. 

Dunne’s wealth stems from this rise as an influencer, where she posts sponsored ads on her social media pages flooded with pics of the gymnast showing off her body. 

Some of her recent deals have been with American Eagle Outfitters and Vuori activewear.