"My medicines made me so nauseous"- Suni Lee opens up on struggles while returning to gym to train for Paris Olympics while treating kidney disease

Suni Lee recalled the struggles she faced after joining the gym because kidney-related medicines made her nauseous in 2023. Lee was diagnosed with two undisclosed types of kidney disease, which kept her away from gymnastics and propelled her to end her collegiate career at Auburn University.

Lee was part of the 'Golden Girls' at the 2024 Paris Olympics, winning the team gold and bronze in the balance beam and individual all-around. However, the way up to the 2024 Games was tough for the Minnesota native. She once woke up in the morning with a swollen face and body, struggling to grip the equipment at the gym and perform any maneuver.

She was diagnosed with a rare kidney issue and immediately shifted to therapy and clinical treatment in her hometown in Minnesota. Recently, after getting named one of Glamour's Women of the Year, Lee recalled that stepping into the gym with a swollen face and body was the hardest part of her journey. Her coaches, Jess Graba and Allison Lim, always had a bucket ready since the Olympian constantly felt nauseous from the medicines.

"Bars, floor, and vault were really hard for me because I couldn’t even walk up a flight of stairs. My coaches would have buckets ready to go for when I needed to throw up because my medicine made me so nauseous," she said. (via Glamour)

Her coaches also had a significant role to play when the two-time Olympic gold medalist lost hope of being the same gymnast who won the all-around title at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

"I had to get over the fact that I was never going to be the same gymnast anymore. My coach would be like, ‘No, you’re this Suni, and you’re a better Suni,'" she said. (via Glamour)

Suni Lee also felt embarrassed to go to the gym, thinking she would let the young girls down.

Suni Lee on why her Olympic bronze medal gave her immense happiness

Suni Lee at the all-around finals podium at the Paris Games 2024 (Image Source: Getty)

Suni Lee expressed gratitude for competing in the Olympics twice and getting back on the global stage after such intense health struggles. Boasting two golds, a silver, and three bronze medals, Lee said her bronze medals make her as happy since the road leading up to them wasn't easy.

"I’ve learned to really take everything in, and I think that’s why I’m so happy with all of my medals. People are like, ‘You shouldn’t be happy. It’s a bronze medal. “But I’m like, ‘You don’t know what I’ve had to go through to get this freaking bronze medal,'" she said. (via Glamour)

The Olympian missed the 2023 World Championships but collected three medals of color at the 2019 Worlds. She also won the balance beam gold and the all-around silver at the 2022 NCAA Championships.