Suni Lee: The gymnast with the most remarkable comeback story of the 2024 Olympics

Delivering under pressure
Three medals in 2024
Top of the world
Remarkable comeback
Incurable kidney disease
Gold in 2020
Overwhelming success
Her biggest challenge
Swelling all over
Topping off the journey
Delivering under pressure

Sunisa Lee had it all to do going last on the uneven bars individual final. Under the intense Olympic pressure, she delivered an exceptional performance, scoring 14.800 to beat Nina Derwael of Belgium (14.766) to win a bronze medal.

Three medals in 2024

For Lee, it's been quite the comeback story, having already won a bronze in the All-round and the famous gold medal in the team competition, making it three medals at the 2024 Games.

Top of the world

The five-woman team of Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera topped the Olympic podium in scintillating fashion, posting a combined score of 171.296 in the gymnastics team final.

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Remarkable comeback

Lee has endured a remarkable and unexpected return to the medals at the Olympic Games. Here is her story!

Incurable kidney disease

According to the Hindustan Times, Lee was diagnosed with two incurable kidney diseases in 2023, and she felt like her gymnastics days were over.

 

Gold in 2020

The American gymnast won Olympic gold in the All-Around event in 2020 at 18 and quickly became an American sensation before starting her studies at Auburn University.

Overwhelming success

Her popularity grew to an overwhelming success, with stalkers lining up everywhere she went, and she was forced to settle with online classes.

Her biggest challenge

Despite the problems at college, Lee's biggest challenge came last year after being diagnosed with kidney disease. She had to drop out of college, stop gymnastics, and move back to her hometown of Minnesota, where the side effects caused fatigue and overeating.

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Swelling all over

The American gymnast had to sit out of training for six months and gained 45 pounds, according to the Woman's Health website. She had swelling in her ankles, face, legs, and hands.

"Rotting in my bed"

Lee told Sports Illustrated: "I was just rotting in my bed. I couldn't talk to anybody. I didn't leave the house." In January, she was given the all-clear to return to training and described it as an 'incredible journey.'

"Giving up because I was so sick"

The incredible gymnast told the New York Times: "We didn't think I would be here. There were so many times when I thought about quitting and just giving up because I was so sick, and it was just so hard to stay motivated."

"Something that I wanted"

"Once I had those people around me who lifted me and supported me and just made sure that I was good, I knew that this is something that I wanted."

Topping off the journey

On the 30th of July, Lee staged the impossible comeback and topped it off with ultimate glory, participating in three rotations and being a deciding factor in the USA's gold medal success. She has since added two more medals, winning six medals at two Olympic Games!

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