Suni Lee touches down in Louisville ahead of the Winter Cup 2024
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medalist Suni Lee has arrived for the highly anticipated 2024 Winter Cup in Louisville.
The 20-year-old gymnast will vie for the Cup scheduled from February 23-25, 2024, at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville, Kentucky. The senior women's all-around and other events are scheduled on Saturday, February 24, 2024, at 1:00 pm E.T.
With her eyes locked on the Paris Olympics, Lee will compete in the balance beam and uneven bars to get her name etched in the history of the code of points. The Olympian will execute a new element "Full Twisting Jaeger on the bar," which she has been training in for the past two years, to be named after her.
Lee shared a few glimpses on her Instagram stories, informing fans that she has touched down for the Winter Cup.
If the Olympic gold medalist executes the element successfully and flawlessly, it will be called "the Lee." The 20-year-old was supposed to lock horns with the 2012 Individual Olympic gold medalist, Gabby Douglas, who was all set to make a return to the sport after a nearly eight-year hiatus. However, Douglas has stepped down from competing in the event, citing a positive test for Covid-19.
"I was just kind of rotting in my bed" - Suni Lee on the challenges she faced while suffering from a kidney-related issue
Suni Lee had to end her college gymnastics career in 2023 after suffering from a kidney-related issue. She last competed for the Auburn Tigers in February 2023.
Lee returned to the sport after the kidney issue and first competed at the 2023 U.S Classic in August in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, securing a silver in the balance beam event. Further, in the same month, she competed in the 2023 U.S. National Championships bagging a bronze medal in the same event.
However, she withdrew from competing in the World Championships and the Pan American Games, navigating a difficult five-month period with inconsistent training due to ongoing health issues.
During a recent interview, ahead of the Winter Cup, with Olympics.com, Suni Lee opened up about the challenges she went through during those five months.
"During that time, I was honestly not doing a lot of anything good for me, I was just kind of rotting in my bed and hoping that it would all go away. Things are definitely way better now. Of course, I still have to go to the doctors every couple of weeks. I just go an infusion. But they said that I’ve been progressing a lot."