One year later after suffering kidney issues, Sunisa Lee is an Olympic medallist, and has contributed scores on uneven bars, balance beam as well as floor exercise, earning United States their fourth overall Olympic gold
If it was not the end, it definitely felt like it was the beginning of the end. Sunisa Lee was diagnosed with an incurable kidney disease in 2023, and it felt like she was going to have to stop doing what truly loved, gymnastics. (Full Olympics Coverage|More Sports News)
A nightmarish feeling so jarring that she seemed to feel anger before heartache.
Broken, devastated, hurt, almost down and buried, but the her ability to fight stood out.
Well, one year later, she’s an Olympic medallist, and has contributed scores on uneven bars, balance beam as well as floor exercise, earning United States their fourth overall Olympic gold.
In the women’s individual all-around final, she finished third and bagged bronze.
Is there is no better sight in sport than an athlete with a big heart, having their back against the wall, defying the odds and destiny?
The Games in Paris is Lee’s second Olympics. She competed in the Tokyo 2020 and also went onto win the gold medal in the all-around event at the age of just 18. She was a sensation, a star in the making.
However, she faced one of the toughest obstacles of her career in 2023, when the doctors confirmed she was suffering from kidney issues.
She stopped training and had to head back to Minnesota. Things started to go south as the medications started to show side effects, and she gained close to 45 pounds. Something beyond imagination for a gymnast.
The body just was not kind enough as it was not able to sustain the training but the mind just did not understand the word quit.
She continued fighting the fight, and returned to full training in January. Six months later, she has made Paris her own.
Sunisa Lee’s comeback at the biggest stage of them all is a lesson in how to keep going through the door every day, despite the struggle, pain, circumstances, and for everything to eventually come out as an Olympic medal.