Suni Lee is a true blue fighter worthy of respect. She was on top of the world in 2020. Having won the all-around gold in the Tokyo Olympics, Lee was being touted as the next big thing in the realm of gymnastics. Unfortunately, things did not go according to plan, and Lee’s career came to a screeching halt. Preparing to perform at Auburn, Lee was diagnosed with a kidney disease. Such a revelation compelled her to step down from competitive gymnastics and also threatened to end her career as rehab took precedence over her mat-addled sinews and maneuvers. 

Fortunately for Lee and all the gymnastics fans, she did well to make a full 360. And now, keeping herself very much on track for Paris, Sunisa Lee has shown glimpses of her own self. Competing at the Xfinity US Gymnastics Championships, Lee not only seemed to get back her footing but also managed to claw back into the top five! And behind all this, there is someone to whom Lee is forever grateful. 

The comeback of Suni Lee led by the inimitable rock of her life – Jess Graba

The Xfinity US Championships was a special moment for Lee. Although Lee competed at the Core Hydration Classics, this was the first instance she took part in all four disciplines. First time since winning the Olympic gold in Tokyo! While it was Simone Biles who walked away with all the glory on Day 1, Lee looked quite impressive too. Biles led the rankings with a score of 60.450 as Lee stood firm at the fourth position with 55.750. After such a vibrant performance from Lee, several fans and critics have credited her turnaround to her coach Jess Graba. 

In a recent X post, Kathy Johnson Clarke praised Graba for not rushing with Lee. She also acknowledged Lee’s coach for not letting her perform any risky maneuvers too early. The post read, “Met the moment! Way to go, Suni! I so appreciate how Jess Graba is managing how and when to add events and/or difficulty in competition, not because she can’t do all of her skills, but to not overload her brain as she builds confidence and competition stamina!”

Well, Suni Lee too, is full of gratitude for Jess Graba. Having trained with her since the age of 12, Suni Lee poured out her heart while wishing Graba on her birthday this year. Lee wrote, “Happy birthday, thank you for being my dad, best-friend, and coach all in one.” Meanwhile, after battling her kidney complications, Suni Lee’s goals have changed. 

Sunisa Lee’s latest gymnastics goals are razor-sharp

Lee is one of the top contenders for the Olympic gold in Paris. However, having recently come out from a disastrous medical condition has made her refocus on her goals. Speaking about her goals, Lee mentioned that she does not want to think of fancy accolades at the moment. In her words, “I just really want to be able to do this for myself… Whereas now I’m like hungrier to be able to be in the all-around. So that’s just been the main priority.”

Echoing similar sentiments, her coach, Jess Graba too, spoke about focusing on smaller goals. Reflecting on how she wants to pace Lee’s comeback, Graba stated, “Right now, we’re pretty much doing a second half for this meet. The main focus for this meet was to build some stamina under pressure in front of everybody. And, like, get up and get warmed up in two turns. So, we’re there.” Thus, with things looking bright for Suni Lee, it now remains to be seen whether she can keep up the pace with these baby steps and deliver big in Paris.