Olivia Dunne Impresses With Gym Splits With Most Unexpected—and Adorable—Friend

The LSU athlete is getting some practice in, alongside puppy Roux.

Olivia Dunne / Mike Coppola/Getty Images

Olivia Dunne is back at it again with her jaw-dropping gymnastics skills, but this time, she has the most adorable workout buddy. The 22-year-old shared two sweet TikTok videos featuring her golden retriever puppy, Roux, and fans can’t get enough of the duo’s sweet interactions.

In one post, the LSU gymnast participated in the old viral splits challenge, showcasing her flexibility as Roux excitedly wagged her tail beside her.

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But it was the second video that truly stole the show. The two-time SI Swimsuit model, who traveled to Portugal for her rookie feature last year, and Puerto Rico for her 2023 debut, was dressed in her signature Vuori biker shorts and cropped tank, in a stunning midnight blue shade. The Forbes Top Creator effortlessly lifted herself into a controlled handstand, perfectly executing the balance and strength required for the skill.

Just as she steadied herself, Roux trotted between the athlete‘s arms, pausing to lick Dunne’s face. The gymnast burst into laughter, gracefully lowering herself back down as the puppy, whom she shares with boyfriend Paul Skenes, jumped around her in excitement, and the two cuddled for a second.

“Best gym partner ever,” she captioned the clip, which was set to a trending TikTok audio featuring a sweet line from Fergie’s “Big Girls Don’t Cry”: “I’ll be your best friend, and you’ll be my Valentine.”

Olivia Dunne / Derick E. Hingle/Getty Images

Dunne has been a standout figure in collegiate gymnastics and the world of Name, Image and Likeness. She helped lead LSU to its first-ever women’s gymnastics national championship in 2024, and the team, ranked No. 3 right now, is looking to secure the title again this year. Tonight, they are facing off against the University of Kentucky. The New Jersey native’s influence extends far beyond the mat, however, as she continues to bring attention to the sport through her massive social media presence.

“As a female athlete, I hope I can bring attention to how amazing college sports are and how hard college athletics are,” Dunne, who is the highest-paid female college athlete, shared. “People don’t see [behind the scenes] every day of my college athletics, and it's very time consuming. In gymnastics, a lot of people only watch the Olympics every four years, and I feel like I’ve been able to use my platform to bring an audience to college gymnastics, and people are starting to see how amazing all these gymnasts are. I want to show young girls that you can have it all, and you don’t need to choose between whatever it is you’re passionate about. You can be passionate about music, art. You don’t need to pick and choose. You can do it all and be successful. I think you need to set your own expectations for success and dream big.”