“Athletes Would’ve Fallen”: Suni Lee’s Heroic Save at Gymnastics Nationals Applauded by Australian Champion

There’s a stark difference between the Suni Lee from February 2024 and June 2024. The reigning Olympic champion made her season debut at the 2024 Winter Cup in February after a challenging 2023 gymnastics season because of her kidney disease. Her return seemed uncertain when she finished tied for 26th on bars and 13th on balance beam. Fast forward to Sunday, June 2, 2024, and Suni Lee has punched her ticket to her second Olympic Trials, making it to the 2024 Senior Women’s National Team.

However, the final night of the competition started rough for the 21-year-old at the 60th edition of the U.S. National Gymnastics Championships. Despite the struggles, a fellow Olympian noted that Suni Lee’s exceptional skill allowed her to rise like a phoenix by the end of the night.

Australian national champion highlights what sets Suni Lee apart from the rest

In a post on X by Australian artistic gymnast and national champion Heath Thorpe, he highlighted a very intriguing skill and talent Suni Lee possesses. Heath reposted a USA Gymnastics video showcasing Suni Lee’s stunning performance on the balance beam, from day two of the senior women’s competition at the Xfinity Championships. In his post, Heath Thorpe praised her, saying, “Watch her footwork closely. Similar to her bars work, Suni has an uncanny ability to manage the apparatus even when slightly off, producing some of the most fluid routines in the world. I often sit in awe, not understanding how she does what she does.”

He went on to say, “I remember watching her bars transitions and literally screaming because so many athletes would have fallen, yet she still completed arguably the most difficult transitions ever done.” During her routine, Suni executed a check on the loso mount. Despite a slight wobble, she smoothly transitioned into a front aerial to split jump to back handspring, followed by a flawless wolf turn.

She then performed a switch-to-switch half-to-ring jump, a solid side aerial loso loso, and a switch ring. She concluded with and stuck the gainer full dismount. But her routine was not only flawless but also the highlight of the night!

How did her score surpass even that of Simone Biles?

Reigning Olympic all-around champ Sunisa Lee competed in all four events at the U.S. Gymnastics Championships for the first time since Tokyo 2020. Day two started rough for Suni, with a stutter-step on her Yurchenko 1.5 vault leading to a fall and a score of 12.150. But with motivation from her Tokyo teammate and 2024 all-around national champ Simone Biles, Suni bounced back strong. On bars, despite a downgraded routine, she finished fourth with a 14.500.

Then she stunned everyone on beam, scoring a weekend-high 14.900, which secured her the silver medal for the event based on her combined score from both days. Her 14.900 on Senior Women’s Day 2 was even higher than that of Simone Biles, the current World Balance Beam Champion. Suni wrapped up with a 13.350 on FX, placing fourth overall with a total score of 110.650.

It was a remarkable comeback that showed she’s still got Olympic medal potential. Her all-around comeback showcased Suni’s incredible growth and potential. Now, as she gears up for her second shot at the Olympics, fans can’t wait to see her rock the stage in Minneapolis. What do you think of Suni Lee’s performance and Heath Thorpe’s food for thought? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!