Suni Lee Opens Up About Relapsing A Week Prior To Olympic Trials

Earlier this year, Suni Lee, the Tokyo Olympic all-around champion, disclosed that she had been struggling with not just one, but two unidentified kidney diseases.

She has since teamed up with the American Kidney Fund (AKF) for its Know Your Kidneys initiative to share her personal experience with kidney disease, raising awareness about lesser-known causes and providing essential resources for those facing similar health issues.

Months later, Suni Lee was recognized as one of Glamour's 2024 Women of the Year, and she is once again reflecting on that period of her life.

In the year leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics, Suni Lee faced challenges that went beyond imposter syndrome and snide remarks.

Just before her 20th birthday in early 2023, her life changed dramatically. “I woke up and my face was so swollen, my body—I looked in the mirror and knew something was wrong,” Lee recalled.

During practice, her fingers barely fit into her grips, and she struggled to lift her own weight. “It literally felt like I had an eight-pound vest on, and I was trying to chuck myself over the bar.”

“I gained over 45 pounds in a span of, like, two weeks,” she told Glamour. “I wasn’t able to go to the bathroom. I couldn’t bend my legs because they were so swollen, and my fingers too. My eyes were almost swollen shut. I was like, ‘Something is happening.’”

She consulted a doctor, who suggested it might be allergies.

The Olympian endured a "traumatizing" ordeal trying every allergy medication on the market without any success. Frustrated, she contacted USA Gymnastics cohead physician Marcia Faustin, who promptly arranged for her testing and diagnosed her with two undisclosed types of kidney disease.

“It just goes to show the importance of speaking up and advocating for yourself, because if I wouldn’t have, who knows what I would have been doing right now,” Lee said.

She went on to compete in beam and vault at the US Classic in August 2023, but her health deteriorated, forcing her to take another six months off. It wasn't until January that her condition stabilized, allowing her to fully commit to her training—just seven months ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics.

However, Suni Lee hit another roadblock when she relapsed just one week before the Olympic trials.

“Nobody knows this, but the week before the Olympic trials, I had to get an infusion because I went into a relapse,” she told Glamour.

She found herself getting fatigued quickly, practices became increasingly challenging, and her body began to swell once more. She needed to take additional time off, but the infusion made a “world of a difference.”

Ultimately, she placed second at the Olympic trials in late June, securing her spot on Team USA. “I was able to do everything that I was supposed to do.”

Hezley Rivera and Suni Lee became close friends during the 2024 Paris Olympics, creating TikToks "24/7" and grabbing breakfast together every morning.

While Rivera looks up to Lee as a mentor, she also considers her a close friend.

“She always reminded me to take a step back and just simply soak in the moment,” she told Glamour. “It helped me appreciate every aspect of my first Olympics experience and recognize how special it was. She is not only a mentor to me, but a friend."

Shortly after Glamour announced its 2024 Women of the Year list, Suni Lee took to social media to express her gratitude.

"To be honored alongside such incredible women is something I could have only dreamed of," she wrote. "Thank you @glamourmag, I am so grateful."

Other women who were named Glamour's Women of the Year include Sydney Sweeney, Serena Williams, Pamela Anderson, Suni Lee, and Taraji P. Henson.

These women are honored for their influence, leadership, and capacity to inspire others, frequently shattering barriers and championing significant causes.