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Suni Lee soars in bid for Paris, stays focused as others exit with injuries

by Adam Chau

Hometown hero Suni Lee, stood tall on Friday night at the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and made her bid to be on the team heading to Paris.

The night was marred partly by injuries. A day before the women’s trials began Olympic team contender Skye Blakely announced she would not compete after injuring her achilles.

Lee’s first rotation of the night was on vault right after teammate Kayla DiCello. She looked on with the rest of the crowd in the stands as DiCello sprinted towards the vault and was injured during her landing.

A stunned crowd and her teammates, including Lee, watched as DiCello needed help being carried off the vault area by two people.

Suni Lee wiping tears from her eyes before the vault during the first day of Olympic Trials competition. Friday June 28, 2024 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN. Photo by Adam Chau for AsAmNews

Lee was visibly shaken before her turn at the vault, wiping tears from her eyes, trying to compose herself.

Suni Lee skies high during the vault on the first day of Olympic Trials competition. Friday June 28, 2024 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN. Photo by Adam Chau for AsAmNews

While she had a little bit of a slip on the vault, she was able to pull her twist around and landed with a 13.525. After the first rotation she was seventh place.

In her second rotation on the uneven bars, after waving to the enthusiastic crowd at Target Center, Lee soared from bar to bar, twisting and turning to the applause of the crowd.

Suni Lee on the uneven bars on the first day of Olympic Trials competition. Friday June 28, 2024 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN. Photo by Adam Chau for AsAmNews

After her dismount, received a score of 14.400 that pushed her into fourth place behind Biles, Chiles, and Leanne Wong (who led both of the first two rotations).

And then came the beam.

In the third rotation after Wong (who had a noticeable wobble in her routine) Suni Lee vaunted to the beam and started her routine, leaping high and rotating on the small plank.

Suni Lee on the beam during the first day of Olympic Trials competition. Friday June 28, 2024 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN. Photo by Adam Chau for AsAmNews

Everything was looking great for Lee, but then during one of her landings, she lost her balance, almost falling off, teetering like a bottle at the edge of a table almost ready to fall off.

Suni Lee losing her balance on the beam during the first day of Olympic Trials competition. Friday June 28, 2024 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN. Photo by Adam Chau for AsAmNews
Suni Lee losing her balance trying to catch herself on the beam during the first day of Olympic Trials competition. Friday June 28, 2024 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN. Photo by Adam Chau for AsAmNews

But with the skill of an Olympic Gold medalist, Lee fought her way back and regained her balance, much to the excitement and roars of applause from the more than 16,000 in attendance at Target Center, afterward being in second place right behind Biles.

In the final rotation for Lee, her routine on the floor was a great mix of both artistry and athletic ability, sticking her landings after her acrobatic flights from corner to corner.

Suni Lee starting her floor exercise on the first day of Olympic Trials competition. Friday June 28, 2024 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN. Photo by Adam Chau for AsAmNews

The last routine of the day earned her third place behind Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles.

Suni Lee soaring high on the floor exercise on the first day of Olympic Trials competition. Friday June 28, 2024 Target Center, Minneapolis, MN. Photo by Adam Chau for AsAmNews

Afterwards, as she waited for her other teammates to compete, she waved and said thank you to a young group of girls above in the seats shouting her name and telling her how much they loved her.

For a day that started with surprise and trepidation, by the end, it seemed Lee was calm and enthusiastic and ready to take on the final test in the road to Paris.

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