St. Paul's Suni Lee makes U.S. Women's Gymnastics Olympic team
MINNEAPOLIS — St. Paul native and Olympic gold medalist Sunisa Lee will again represent the U.S. as part of the Women's Gymnastics team at the Paris Games this summer.
Lee will be joined on the five-woman team by Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey and Hezly Rivera.
Lee was second only to Biles in all-around scoring at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials this past weekend in Minneapolis, and she scored the highest on the uneven bars. The hometown crowd gave Lee plenty of love at Target Center.
"I thought it was absolutely insane, it was so fun," Lee said. "I was super, super nervous day one because I just felt like a lot of pressure. I mean, it's hard when you have to go up and everyone's just like screaming your name. I mean, I love it but I just get so freaked out in the beginning, I'm like, 'Oh my gosh, I didn't know people actually liked me that much.'"
Lee's return to the games seemed unlikely at various points over the last 18 months. Multiple kidney-related issues limited her training and led to massive weight fluctuations that took time to get under control.
The 21-year-old, who became the fifth straight American woman to win the Olympic title when she edged Brazil's Rebeca Andrade in a thrilling all-around final in Tokyo, admitted she thought about quitting more than once.
"We didn't even think that I would be here, so everything has been hitting me like a freaking roller coaster," Lee said. "I have not stopped crying since, but I'm just so happy and I'm so, so glad that I never gave up, because there were so many times where I thought about just quitting and just walking away from the sport because I didn't think that I would ever get to this point."
Thanks in part to a support team led by USA Gymnastics team doctor Marcia Faustin and longtime personal coach Jess Graba, Lee regained her confidence and her form in time to make it to Paris.
Lee remains a wonder on uneven bars, where her intricate routine is packed with difficulty. She's also gained an affinity for the balance beam, a 45-second test of nerves that serves as a showcase for her artistry.
"I really want a beam gold," Lee said. "I need a beam gold because I feel I always make the final and then I always mess up, but it's still annoying."
Lee has high expectations for the team, too.
"I think that we really want a team gold," she said. "This is the same team, basically, as 2020, so it's kind of like a redemption tour. So I'm excited to go back out there with the girls and really just see what we bring to the table."
Note: The video above originally aired June 26, 2024.
