Why Gymnast Suni Lee Is a Relatable Olympic Icon
Sunisa "Suni" Lee is stepping disconnected the mat.
The Olympian precocious announced that she volition prematurely extremity her assemblage gymnastics vocation astatine Auburn University owed to a "non-gymnastics wellness related issue" related to her kidneys.
"For my safety, the aesculapian squad did not wide maine to bid and vie implicit the past fewer weeks," Lee wrote connected her Instagram Stories April 3. "I americium blessed and thankful to beryllium moving with the champion specialized aesculapian to dainty and among my diagnosis. My absorption astatine this clip is my wellness and recovery."
Though her clip astatine Auburn gymnastics has been cut short, the 20-year-old, who enrolled astatine the schoolhouse aft being crowned the all-around champion astatine the 2020 Olympic Games successful Tokyo, is inactive hoping to instrumentality much landings astatine the 2024 Olympic Games. After all, the sports prima has plentifulness of Olympic medals to triumph aft antecedently picking up a bronze medal for the uneven bars and a metallic medal for the squad all-around contention with teammates Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles and Grace McCallum.
"It's been challenging to extremity my Auburn vocation early, but I americium thankful for each of the emotion & support," she continued. "I volition not halt pursuing my dreams for a bid to Paris successful 2024. In fact, this acquisition has sharpened my imaginativeness for the future."
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She besides extended a connection of gratitude to her chap teammates, who precocious competed successful the 2023 NCAA Women's Gymnastics Championships, arsenic good arsenic the full Auburn community, adding, "war eagle forever." During her clip astatine Auburn, Lee nabbed a golden medal for the equilibrium beam and was named the metallic all-around medalist astatine the 2022 NCAA Championships.
"I americium truthful arrogant of my squad and the mode they showed determination and resilience this season," Lee added. "Auburn, convey you for the champion 2 years of my beingness and for giving maine the accidental to marque past alongside this astonishing group. I americium everlastingly grateful for this community."
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