Sunisa Lee drops unexpected Olympics hint about Los Angeles 2028 after kidney disease comeback

Minnesota's 22-year-old gymnast Suni Lee is uncertain on whether she will participate at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. She came back from an incurable renal disease in 2024 to earn three medals in Paris.

The American competitor added two bronze medals and assisted Team USA get gymnastics gold. She had been kicked from competition in April 2023 after doctors diagnosed her condition from swelling and pain. Living in New York City currently, Lee claims she is concentrating on other interests apart from gymnastics.

Suni Lee’s battle with kidney disease and Olympic return

In early 2023, Suni Lee began waking up with swelling all over her body. At one point, she gained eight pounds overnight and later put on 40 pounds due to fluid retention. Initially told it may be allergies, her doctors eventually determined she had an incurable kidney illness after additional tests including a kidney biopsy. The illness caused her to resign gymnastics for six months and withdraw from Auburn University.

Still, Suni Lee came back to competition and stunned the world at the Paris Olympics in July 2024. She helped the USA to win team gold. Moreover, she earned bronze in the women's all-around and bronze in unequal bars. July 2025 saw her in Los Angeles for the ESPY Awards. She was selected Comeback Athlete of the Year. Inviting her doctor, Dr. Marcia Faustin, as her guest, Lee said, "I wouldn't be here without the people who supported me."

Suni Lee explores life outside gymnastics after Paris success

Since her Paris return, Suni Lee has moved to New York City. She said during New York Fashion Week 2025 that her life has been “crazy” and full of change. Lee told Daily Mail Sport, “I’ve just been learning to find myself and everything else that I’m passionate about because who knows if I’ll come back for the next Olympics.”This year, she appeared at Madison Square Garden for the New York Knicks’ playoff games, starred in fashion shows, and modeled in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue 2025. Also Read: “We’re in a war”: Martina Navratilova calls out Alex Jones and Steve Bannon after Charlie Kirk shooting at Utah She also joined NFL star Travis Kelce’s American Eagle campaign with other young athletes. Lee explained her new focus, saying she enjoys trying different activities, fashion work, and even exploring acting.Even as she keeps her future in gymnastics unclear, her impact from Paris to Los Angeles remains one of the biggest comeback stories in US Olympic history.