Suni Lee is number one. She is from Minnesota. Four years ago, she won gold. She was the first Asian-American woman to win. She won the women’s all-around event. This was at the Tokyo Olympics. Now, she helped Team USA win again. She won with Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera. They got first place on July 30. This was at the 2024 Games. Suni did bars, beam, and floor.
Suni posted on Instagram. She wrote, “olympic champions forever 🥇🥇🥇😭❤️.” She is 21 years old.
This win is special for Suni. She wants to win her all-around title back. She had scary health issues. In April 2023, she found out she has kidney diseases. They are incurable. She woke up with swelling. Her ankles, face, hands, and legs were swollen.
Suni Lee Battles with Kidney Disease and Her Olympic Success
Suni talked to SELF. She said, “I just kept getting more swollen.” She called her journey to the 2024 Games “incredible.” She spoke to Hoda Kotb on TODAY. She said, “There were many times I wanted to quit. I was so sick. But people helped me. They lifted me up. They made sure I was good. I knew I wanted this.”
Suni shows her talent to the world. She is open about her kidney diseases. She also struggles with eczema. She talks about her mental health.
Suni has two kidney diseases. They do not have a cure. She thought her training caused her swelling. She slipped off the bar at the gym. Doctors thought it was an allergic reaction. But her symptoms stayed.
She said, “I kept peeling off the bar. I couldn’t hold on.” Her fingers were too swollen. She could not do a normal kip cast to handstand on bars. She gained around 40 pounds. She shared this with SELF.
Suni Lee is a champion. She faced many challenges. She did not give up. She had people who supported her. Now, she is on top again. She inspires many people. She is brave and strong. She shows that you can win even with challenges.
To read our article about “At home smartphone-based kidney testing, thanks to Reset” click here.
