Lights, Camera, Action! After a thrilling spectacle in the Paris Olympics, Suni Lee continues to shine. However, this time, it is off the mat. For those not in the know, the gymnast walked away with 3 Olympic medals this time around. Sounds like she’s due some much-needed downtime, isn’t it? However, the gymnast hasn’t stopped. Always on the go, the 21-year-old first shifted her base from Minnesota to the Big Apple.

The gymnast recently turned heads at the New York Fashion Week. However, seeing how she wanted to explore more avenues, the Olympian was spotted at the Victoria’s Secret show. The show was canceled in 2019. But on October 15, it made a much-anticipated return. Even though Lee is trying to take a break from the sport, she truly can’t escape. She shared a snippet of her interview from the show on Instagram earlier today. When asked if she had any advice to give, the Olympian didn’t hold back.

“Um, I feel like I would just say to be confident and just stick to what you know. Nothing more, nothing less because your average is good enough,” Suni Lee confessed. We’ve always seen her stand tall and make heads turn on the mat. But there used to be a time when the 21-year-old wasn’t as confident or fierce as she usually is. In April 2023, she opened up about dealing with 2 kidney diseases. But even after all that, the burning desire to compete on the world’s biggest stage burned brighter than ever. 

While she competed at the Paris Olympics, the gymnast had to navigate through several setbacks to make it through. “Bars, floor, and vault were really hard for me because I couldn’t even walk up a flight of stairs.” Things got so grim that her coaches would keep buckets for when she did feel the urge to throw up because of her medicines. In fact, the 21-year-old even struggled with her confidence momentarily, even though she pushed herself to make it to the gym, the idea of letting many little girls down would often hold her back. 

Suni Lee would often find herself reminiscing about how things were before. But this only made her worry about how she would never be the same gymnast again. However, her coaches assured her that there was nothing wrong with that. “No, you’re this, Suni, and you’re a better, Suni.” Not only did this help push the gymnast, but it also assured her that it’s okay to not be okay all the time. However, after an incredible stint in Paris, will she return for another in LA? 

Suni Lee’s honest take on what the future of gymnastics holds for her

The 21-year-old fought long and hard to return to the world’s biggest stage after stepping away from collegiate gymnastics career to focus on what matters the most – herself. But once she had taken all the time needed, the 21-year-old decided to work her way back to the mat. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing. From changing her training routine to make things easy, to consistently pushing herself through every adversity thrown her way.

And at the Bercy Arena, she rose through the ashes like a phoenix, shutting down all the doubts triumphantly. Seeing how this was just her second berth, many were excited to watch the Olympian on her home turf. During a Q&A on Snapchat, a fan asked Suni Lee if she would return during LA 2028. 

However, no one anticipated what she said next. “Everyone is asking this, but guys, my body hurts. 🥲🥺 this sport kills me, ahhh.” Sure, she will only be 25 by the time the Summer Games return to the States. Yes, it doesn’t feel like much, but in the sport? She definitely would be considered a seasoned veteran. 

Even though many have risen above the age factor in gymnastics, a majority often retire in their late teens or early twenties. But the best thing is that Suni Lee didn’t shut the door on a third berth entirely. So, chances are that she might show up in the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games. However, we still have a few years before that happens. Watching the Olympian shine on and off the mat this season has been nothing short of thrilling, and we can’t wait to see what else she has in store for us.