Success on the Olympic stage can often come with the crippling weight of heightened expectations. At least, that’s how it was for Auburn Tigers star Suni Lee. The All-Around champion at the Tokyo Olympics, Lee, was expected to dish out a similar performance in Paris this year as well. However, 2023 was a pivotal year in the gymnastics celebrity’s life. Fortunately, the 21-year-old had just the things nearby to help her rise above the difficult challenge thrown at her.

Last year, Suni was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease that affected her gymnastics career significantly. It put an unexpected halt to her shining collegiate career and even threatened to end all chances of Lee performing ever again. However, she wasn’t one to watch from the sideline and decided to make her fate by her own hands. And luckily, Lee had some motivation waiting to hold her hands.

In an article by Glamour from October 3, the 6x Olympic medalist talked about her redemption journey and how things seemed bleak after her campaign in Japan three years ago. During the conversation, she also noted what induced her to tackle her physical troubles head-on and find the courage to battle through the ordeal. “The hardest thing was just waking up and going to the gym, forcing myself, because a part of me was just so embarrassed and ashamed to show my face,” disclosed Lee in the article, noting the heartbreaking situation she was in.

But it wasn’t just her personal suffering. Instead, the 2022 NCAA gold medalist revealed that it was also the pain of letting down those who looked up to her as a role model. “There are so many little girls in the gym that look up to me, and I just felt I was kind of letting them down, because I wasn’t able to do a lot of things,” grimaced the gymnast. Still, despite her struggles, Lee was instrumental in helping the USAG win its Olympic gold in Paris in August. And now, she has her eyes set on trying out something new other than showing her skills in gymnastics.

Suni Lee’s steep uphill climb to reach the top

Lee is currently in the process of relocating to New York, leaving behind her life in Minnesota. The gymnast has hinted at an upcoming social media presence, where she is likely to start the journey as a vlogger. Considering the treacherous path Lee has traversed to prove her worth upon the grandest stage, the community would readily agree that a break was on the table for the Tigers poster kid.

2024 has been tumultuous for Suni, and her entry into the Xfinity US Gymnastics Championships was a last-minute decision that sent fans into a frenzy. In the weeks before the competition, Lee noted her skepticism about getting back to performing several times. “Whenever I’m talking to my coaches, I get really sad because I’m never going to be the same. I’m not the same Suni, I’m not the same athlete,” she told Olympics.com in the month before the 2024 Games, underscoring how difficult things have been for her in recent months.

Naturally, her family was only elated to see her go on to dish out a spectacular performance in the French capital just days later. And how did you feel seeing Suni Lee in her natural element and helping her national teammates bag gold at the grandest sporting event of the year? Tell us how you’d like to see her keep shining in the years to come with a comment!