“It was scary. I don’t know if I can talk about it"- When Suni Lee opened up on being stalked inside her college campus after winning Olympic gold

Suni Lee recalled the nightmarish times when the attention that stemmed from her Olympic gold medal win escalated to stalking. Her fame came at the cost of her privacy after the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Suni Lee became the first gymnast of Asian descent who made her way to the Olympics and won the all-around gold. On Simone Biles' abrupt withdrawal after the first rotation at the team finals in Tokyo, Lee replaced her in floor exercise and executed a stellar routine.

Acquiring a total of 57.433, the 21-year-old swept the all-around medal ahead of Brazilian Rebeca Andrade. She, who didn't contemplate the win, had a 'hard time letting it sink in'. (via Pop Sugar)

She was driving around Los Angeles, from gym to Dancing with the Stars rehearsals to talk show appearances. The pressure of the Olympic gold, people's expectations, and being in the public eye, hampered her peace.

She returned to Auburn University after finding offline classes to be 'boring'. But things took a turn when fellow students snapped her every move and even took pictures of her eating. She could feel the immense attention from fans escalating to stalking and felt threatened and scared while reminiscing about those times.

"It was scary. I don’t know if I can talk about it," she said in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated.

Lee also shared that her Auburn teammates didn't extend any support to her during those times. She felt 'like an outcast' and didn't trust them anymore.

In an interview, she talked about confronting pressure and dealing with the spotlight all by herself.

"It's one thing to confront pressure as a gymnast and another to handle the stardom that comes with becoming a public figure."

Suni Lee expressed getting caught up in the head after her Olympic gold medal

2024 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships

Suni Lee attended the Met Gala, appeared on the Late Late Show with James Corden and Ellen, and participated in Dancing with the Stars after the Tokyo Olympics. During that time, she was only pressuring herself and feeling the expectations from people impacting her. As a result, she couldn't properly celebrate her monumental Olympic win.

"I'm getting too caught up in my head that it's taking away the joy from the experience. I'm surrounded by people every day, and sometimes, I like to just be alone. I haven't really had a day to just chill and do nothing, she shared in an interview in 2021. (via Pop Sugar)

Suni Lee will vie for her second Olympic all-around gold at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She will compete at the US Olympic Gymnastics Trials, slated for June 27-30, in her hometown Minnesota.