Third time’s a charm for Suni Lee in Paris!
The Team USA gymnast, 21, took home a bronze medal in the bars final Sunday, Aug. 4 at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
She finished third behind Kaylie Nemour of Algeria, who scored 15.700, and Qiyuan Qiu of China, who scored 15.500. Lee earned 14,800.
The new hardware marks the third bronze medal for Lee, who has already won gold in the team final and bronze in the all-around final this Olympic cycle. She previously won bronze on bars in Tokyo in 2021.
Suni Lee in the bars final.
Dan Mullan/Getty Images
Lee said this bronze is “much more significant”.
“I told myself I’m coming back to redeem myself on the bars,” she told reporters, including PEOPLE, after winning the medal. “And I did that this time.”
Lee added that this time she enjoyed going last, instead of first like in Tokyo, and she tried to watch and cheer on all her competitors.
“This time I thought, I’m not going to miss these routines because they’re so good. Because it’s not the same when you watch it on replay. I just wanted to see it and I was so happy because all the girls deserve it.”
The road to Paris has been tough for Lee, making Sunday’s success all the sweeter.
Everything Suni Lee said about her terminal kidney disease
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Suni Lee performs during the women’s team final on July 30 at the Paris Olympics.
Christina Pahnke – Images/Getty
In April 2023, Lee announced that she was ending her college career at Auburn early due to an undisclosed kidney problem. In September, the same illness forced her to withdraw from the world championship team selection camp.
The athlete finally resumed training in January 2024 after her doctor told her that the drugs were working well, she told The New York Times.
“The past few days I’ve been inundated with messages from people saying they’ve had chronic illnesses and things they’ve had to deal with,” Lee said after the August 4 bars final. “So it’s a really good feeling, knowing that I can inspire others, especially because I’ve spent many months at my lowest.”
“Everything she went through in the past year and a half, she managed to overcome many health problems she was dealing with – she talked about how at one point she couldn’t hold the bar. And now she’s a medalist at the Olympic Games,” Leejev told reporters. coach Jess Graba.
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From left: Rebeca Andrade, Simone Biles and Suni Lee on August 1 after the women’s all-around final.
LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images
Sixth time’s the charm! Simone Biles wins gold in the all-around final at the Paris Olympics while Suni Lee wins bronze
Graba said that a few months ago, the idea of Lee standing tall on the podium seemed far-fetched. But with hard work and an unwavering sense of self-belief, she rose to the occasion.
“I feel like she had everything to lose, coming back,” Graba continued. “You know, she didn’t really have anything to prove but herself. I was relieved, because I just want her to feel proud.”
Soon after, Lee said just that.
I’m really proud of myself, she said. “This time it was even more amazing.”
Lee will next compete in the beam final on August 5.
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Source: HIS Education