?Good To Be Back?: Despite Kidney Issues, Sunisa Lee Ready for Paris Olympics 2024

The saga of American gymnastics has reached a bittersweet point. While the fans are reveling in the back-to-back victories of Simone Biles, the absence of Sunisa Lee has left a void in the hearts of all. The 2020 all-around gold medallist has tried her best to make a successful comeback after her kidney problems surfaced. She made a brief return to gymnastics at the U.S. Classics only to find out the dire consequences of overexertion.

Despite her physical hardships that caused swollen fingers and unsurmountable fatigue, she earned high scores in the two events she competed in at the Classics. However, the toll it took on her body was apparent, and Lee ultimately had to withdraw from the U.S. Women?s World Championships Selection Event. As disheartening as this announcement was, Sunisa Lee soon lifted spirits with a happy update.

A positive turn of events for Sunisa Lee

Sunisa Lee recently posted a health update on Instagram, informing her fans that she is “good to be back” in the gym. To prove her point, she also uploaded a video of herself performing three tumbles on the mat that she executed flawlessly. To our untrained eye, it looked perfect, but to her, the tricks needed more work. She wrote, “pov: getting back into it after taking time away”, which, of course, required some adjustments.

In the latter half of the clip, the Hmong native moved on to her signature apparatus. However, she looked more like an amateur on the uneven bars than the champion she was. Sunisa Lee fell flat on her face a couple of times and could not even execute a full rotation. This has caused panic among those who want to see her triumph in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

It was painful to watch the three-time Olympic medalist struggle on a simple rotation. But the video also went on to prove her unwavering determination to climb atop the podium and raise the American flag under the Parisian sky. Although she could not fulfill one promise, the 20-year-old is resolved to make good on the other one.

Sunisa Lee?s dual promises

Sunisa Lee started her 2023 elite gymnastics season with the promise of making it to the World Championships and the Olympics. She could not compete in Antwerp following a “very difficult decision” where she had to choose between her health and her aspirations. Lee decided to prioritize her health and went into intensive therapy. She wrote, “I have been in and out of the gym just because there’s just so many doctor’s appointments, and I’m taking a lot of medication, so it kind of varies every day”. Sunisa Lee was certain this was the right call for the pursuit of her final goal of the 2024 season.

Read More: Two Years After Winning Olympic Gold Sunisa Lee Receives an Unlikely Message

In April, she announced, “I will not stop pursuing my dreams for a bid to Paris in 2024”. Now, the Minneapolis native has restarted her Olympic campaign and is ready to make a successful comeback. If Sunisa Lee is able to overcome her health issues, she will give Simone Biles a run for her money in France.

Watch This Story: Simone Biles Made a Heartwarming Gesture to Suni Lee?s Dad