Suni Lee embodies what is special about the Olympics and why the stories of athletes deserve more recognition than over four years. Close fans of any given sport will know the ins and outs and naturally will have their favorites. However, seeing as the national spotlight only comes around so often, this usually serves as a time for most viewers to become familiar with the household names in some of the more niche events. To get to this point, not only are a lot of sweat hours in the gym required, but significant hurdles are overcome. This is true for any athlete; however, being able to compete for a medal means that they were able to outcompete, and really, outlast their competition, only to compete on the global stage in hopes of hardware.
Clinching medal chance
It was quite the day for American gymnastics on the women’s side. The team placed overall first with 172.296 points and separated themselves from Italy, China, and Brazil by a significant margin. Considering the strength of the roster, unless there are further unexpected setbacks, the only thing that will remain to be seen is what color will be dangling from the neck of the Olympians at the podium.
However, team success and individual success are often two different things. Luckily, Team USA saw both. Notably, Lee, who was forced to edge out teammate, Jordan Chiles, was able to move on. With a score of 56.132, the Auburn Tiger product moved past to grab second place, with a score of 56.065. This shows how close the margins can be, as the lower score would usually comfortably see someone through.
Near-perfect bar routine by Suni Lee
Due to the two-participant limit per country, a lot of pressure was put on this event. However, Lee executed a fantastic set for the judges. While seamlessly transitioning between elements, one of her strengths in gymnastics was on full display. The final dismount proved to be enough as the 14.866 sent her through, for the desired chance to defend her medal from Tokyo. There weren’t any glaringly noticeable errors or flaws in her routine, and the high evaluation from the judges came as no surprise.
She’s now in a position to add to her current medal count, and it goes without saying that she’ll be a strong contender. Simone Biles and Rebeca Andrade from Brazil are likely to round out the top three with her. But unexpected twists, and unforced errors at the wrong time can always provide a chance for another candidate to overtake either of these athletes.
Health scare
While in college, competing seemed like it may never be possible again, let alone the chance to defend her title. In college, Suni Lee was diagnosed with kidney issues. The two diseases that doctors detected led to her sudden and uncontrollable weight gain. This was understandably a scary time for the Olympian. Furthermore, a chance of repeating her result from the 2022 Summer Games, seemed unlikely in that moment. At the time, the medical professionals informed her that high-level athletic feats could cease to be a possibility. This news is taken in differently by people, but for most, a sense of hopelessness and not quite knowing how to take it all in begins to creep in. However, after months of medication and rest, she was ready.
The gymnast was ready to undertake a long road back to being as good as she was while listening to her national anthem being played in front of millions around the world. Of course, there were initial setbacks as the learning curve had to be overcome again. But her persistence and perseverance paid off. When the news from the medical team informed her that the condition was being overcome, this allowed her to focus only on her sport. The relearning paid off, as Suni Lee will now be competing for her nation again against Biles in what should be a spectacular event to watch in Paris.
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