Suni Lee Reveals Personal Health Battle Ahead Of 2024 Paris Olympics

Tokyo Olympic all-around champion Suni Lee, 21, is training for the 2024 Paris Olympics, but the journey has not been easy.

She has not only battled an unspecified kidney condition but also had to end her college career earlier than planned because of it.

In addition to the kidney condition, Suni Lee has revealed her ongoing battle with eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis, a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by itchy, red, and dry skin.

Last year, Suni Lee was diagnosed with an incurable kidney disease, which led her to end her final NCAA gymnastics season with Auburn University early.

When speaking to SELF Magazine, the 21-year-old explained that she woke up one morning with swollen ankles. She initially didn't think much of it, thinking the swelling was a minor side effect of all the intense training she was doing in the gym.

However, the next morning, she said her entire body was swollen, including her face, legs, and hands.

She went to see USA Gymnastics Women’s National Team physician Dr. Faustin, who, after many tests, advised her to see a specialist, who then recommended a kidney biopsy. Eventually, the doctors figured out what the issue was.

While she has not revealed exactly what the issue was, she has been open about her struggles with the condition.

Following her health scare last year, Suni Lee is now opening up about her longtime journey with eczema.

"My skin was always super dry, super flaky. It was really uncomfortable because it was really itchy," she said at a panel, per CBS, where she spoke in partnership with Eli Lilly and Company, a pharmaceutical company and Team USA health equity sponsor.

"But my mom ended up taking me to the doctor and my doctor sent me to a dermatologist, and that's when we got my diagnosis, and we found the right treatment plan," the Olympian added.

She admitted that when she was younger, she was embarrassed because "nobody ever talked about it." Now, she hopes to be a role model for her younger fans, showing them it is nothing to be embarrassed about.

Now that she has opened up about her eczema battles, Suni Lee wants to inspire others and show them it is okay to deal with skin issues.

"It can be kind of isolating when you deal with eczema and having an eczema flare-up, so I just want people to know that you are not alone and it does not define you," she said at the panel, per CBS. "When you deal with it and you're constantly looking down at your skin, you probably think, 'Oh, other people are looking at it and staring at it.' But in reality, I don't really think anyone's looking that hard."

Suni Lee is preparing to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics alongside other gymnasts Simone Biles, Skye Blakely, and Shilese Jones. Olympic Trials will be held June 27-30 in Minneapolis, where the official Team USA will be determined.

"I have had to deal with so much the past two years. Just feel so good to know that I can be back out there, not even at my best, and I can still be able to perform," she said. "I'm so excited."

According to NBC Olympics, Lee said her biggest goal is to compete in the all-around. However, it is important to note that she has not competed in a floor routine at the elite level since winning gold at the Tokyo Olympics.

While she has not revealed her plans following the 2024 Paris Olympics, Suni Lee has opened up about her struggles with motivation over the years.

"I had so many moments where I was like, 'I've been doing gymnastics for 17 years, I'm ready to move on,'" the Olympian told NBC Olympics. "And then I'm like, 'No, I'm not! I can't leave gymnastics yet. I'm not done.'"

"So there's that little thing that's just like, I want to prove to myself that I can do it. But yeah, of course, whenever I go on trips and brand trips, I get a taste of reality, and I'm like, 'This is what my life is going to be like afterward!' ... Once I got a taste of reality, it was like the hardest thing to stay motivated. But now I'm like, 'This is something that I really want.' I remind myself every single day," she added.