UNIVERSAL CITY, California – Sunisa Lee, the reigning Olympic all-around champion and a hopeful for the 2024 Paris Games, has faced an unexpected challenge this year due to an unspecified kidney illness.
Despite the setback, Lee remains determined and focused on her training, showcasing the resilience that made her a gold medalist in the Tokyo Games. She recently appeared healthy and optimistic at Universal Studios Lot in Southern California, wearing a silver necklace with the Olympic rings. She spoke about her journey and the adjustments she’s had to make in her gymnastics training.
Suni Lee’s Weight Gain
Suni Lee’s weight gain has been a significant and distressing experience for the gymnast, as she revealed that she gained 45 pounds due to her illness. “I couldn’t fit into any of my clothes,’’ Lee said. “My eyes were swollen shut. It was just so scary.’’ Despite the challenges, Lee has been making progress in her gymnastics training.
She has adapted her approach to accommodate the fluctuations in her health. “We’re still trying to figure out how to balance all of it because I do have good days and bad days,’’ she explained. “But with the good days, I just take advantage of what I’m able to do, and on the bad days I just do basics and try and stay as safe as possible.’’
Related: Parker Valby’s 17 Pounds Weight Loss through Innovative Training!
Gaining Weight Due To Kidney Ailment
Lee’s significant weight gain is attributed to a kidney-related illness that caused her body to retain water. “I haven’t had a really bad day in a while,’’ Lee said. “But in the beginning, it was like I was waking up swollen. My fingers were so swollen they wouldn’t fit into my grips and I couldn’t hold on to the bar.”
She recounted the difficulty of dealing with a swollen body, which prevented her from performing even basic gymnastics moves. “My whole body was swollen because I was retaining water, so I couldn’t do a flip. … So it was really different and I had to learn how to work through it.’’
Though she has not disclosed the specific nature of her kidney issue or the medical treatments she is undergoing, Lee mentioned that she has made dietary changes, particularly reducing her sodium intake to help manage water retention. This adjustment is part of her strategy to cope with the illness and maintain her training regimen.
Related: How Busta Rhymes Lost 57 Pounds and Revitalized His Health!
Lee’s Progress and Future Goals
In August, Lee returned to competition, qualifying for the U.S. Championships and earning bronze on the beam. However, she chose not to rush her comeback by attending the U.S. team selection camp for the world championships. “I just decided that I didn’t want to rush into it and push my body and even risk something happening to be able to prepare for the Olympic year,’’ she said.
Looking ahead, Lee is preparing for the Olympic trials to be held in June in Minneapolis, her hometown.
She is excited about the prospect of competing in front of a supportive crowd, unlike the Tokyo Games, which were held without spectators due to the pandemic. “I really thrive off of a crowd and the energy, it just helps uplift me and gives me that boost of confidence,’’ she said.
Despite the challenges and uncertainties, Suni Lee remains focused on her goals while taking each day as it comes. “Obviously the Olympics are always going to be in the back of my head,’’ she said. “But I wake up every morning and I’m not like, ‘Today’s going to get me to the Olympics.’…I’m not trying to think too far ahead because that can just add a lot of unwanted pressure and stress.’’
