Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee returned to the U.S. gymnastics championships after battling health issues.
The 20-year-old competed on beam and vault during day 1 of the Women’s competition on Friday.
Lee took a break from elite gymnastics after the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 to compete at the collegiate level while attending Auburn University. In late 2022, she announced the 2023 season would be her last college season as she planned to start preparing for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
In April 2023, Lee announced that she was cutting her last collegiate season short due to health issues. She stated on Twitter that she has “been dealing with a non-gymnastics health related issues involving my kidneys.”
The Olympic all-around gold medal winner put in a solid performance during the Women’s Day 1 on Friday. Lee has taken some of the difficulty out of her routines as she eases her way back into competition.
Lee slipped on beam but ultimately earned a 13.650. Her Yurchenko full on vault earned her a 13.350.
The second and final day of the women’s competition is on Sunday.
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