"It is exciting to see her overcome everything that she has and come back out here stronger" - Simone Biles cheers Suni Lee for her comeback

Simone Biles has shared her views on former Auburn gymnast Suni Lee’s comeback after battling with her kidney issues.

In the first half of this year, 20-year-old Lee made headlines for her “non-gymnastics” kidney problem. She had to take a break from the sport to concentrate on her physical health. Her condition compelled her to prioritize the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Suni Lee announced that she was diagnosed with a kidney-related issue in February earlier this year. Although she did not specify her medical condition, she informed her fans that she would be taking a break to focus on her treatment and recovery.

Lee returned to training shortly after a month when she was still undergoing recovery. She made her strong comeback at the 2023 US Classic in August, scoring a 14.5 on the balance beam and taking a silver medal. Her performance was also recognized in her vault routine in which she scored 13.5 points.

After the 2023 US Classic, Suni Lee participated in the US Gymnastics Championships, finishing at the 27th position. She also achieved a bronze medal in the balance beam routine in the senior women's category. In the same event, Simone Biles took the gold medal.

Looking back at Suni Lee’s journey, Biles expressed her views about her comeback spirit. In a media interaction with USA Gymnastics, the seven-time Olympic gymnast said:

“It is exciting to see her overcome everything that she has and come back out here stronger.”

Furthermore, Bile explained why taking a break is important:

“Because i think it does send a good message to the younger ones but it's also like we know that we have to take care of our bodies whether that's mentally or physically so take that break and come back and be stronger because at the end of the day."

"Gymnastics is just what we do and we also have to remember that and we're not going to be doing this forever so I think at the end of the day it's really nice to show those young kids that but I also think like it's our story to write our ending to tell.”

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Suni Lee ended her Auburn career due to her kidney issue

Lee at 2023 U.S. Gymnastics Championships - Day Four

Olympic 2020 all-around champion Suni Lee was a star gymnast at Auburn University. After joining the university in 2022, Lee decided to focus on her training for the 2024 Paris Olympics. As a result, she decided to end her career there on the completion of the 2023 season.

However, due to her kidney issue, medical professionals advised her to stop competing until she recovered. This gave Lee an inside calling to prioritize her health for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Thus, she decided to end her association with Auburn University.

Lee quoted in her Twitter post after she was diagnosed with a kidney issue:

"It's been challenging to end my Auburn career early, but I am thankful for all the love & support. I will not stop pursuing my dreams of a bid to Paris in 2024. In fact, this experience has sharpened my vision for the future."