"You can see her heart when she competes"- Shawn Johnson 'praying' for Suni Lee to qualify for Paris 2024 at U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials

Shawn Johnson, former US gymnast, and four-time Olympic medalist, appreciated the determination of Suni Lee and wished for her to qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Lee is on the run for her second Olympics after winning the all-around gold in Tokyo.

Lee earned the all-around gold, uneven bars bronze, and team silver at the belated Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The following year, she made waves on the NCAA level by winning the balance beam gold and all-around silver at the 2022 NCAA Championships.

However, her 2023 season was plagued by a kidney-related issue. After her diagnosis, she withdrew from major races to prioritize her health. In 2024, she made her return to the Winter Cup, where she couldn't perform her best. Soon after, she finished fourth overall at the US Championships, which earned her an invitation to the U.S. Olympic Trials.

Ahead of the event, Shawn Johnson, a former athlete with a similar success story as Lee, clasped her hands for the three-time Olympic medalist to perform at the Trials and punch her ticket to Paris.

"I'm praying she's on the team. You can see her heart when she competes," Johnson said (via the Tennessean).

Johnson also lauded Lee's grit to come back to the elite level and be on the Olympic run after battling a grueling kidney disease:

"She's a sweet, kind, amazing young woman. To see her come back after her journey with her health . . . it's really, really cool and really powerful, added the former gymnast."

Suni Lee also participated in Dancing with the Stars, following in the footsteps of Shawn Johnson, Nastia Liukin, and compatriot, Simone Biles. While Johnson won the eighth season of the competition, Lee finished fifth in her respective season.

Suni Lee grew up watching Shawn Johnson's gymnastic videos on YouTube

2024 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships Suni Lee

2008 was Shawn Johnson's breakthrough year, which saw her win four medals at the Beijing Olympics. She won the balance beam gold and silver medals in the team, all-around, and floor events.

Suni Lee was five when Johnson made waves on the international gymnastic stages. She started watching Johnson's videos on YouTube, which planted the gymnastic seed in her heart.

"Once I started, I just couldn’t stop. It looked so fun, and I wanted to try it myself," Lee said (via The New York Times).

The Minnesota native will compete at the 2024 US Gymnastic Trials (June 27-30), in front of her home crowd at Target Center, in downtown Minneapolis.