Olympic Champion Suni Lee Returns to Gymnastics for LA 2028

After overcoming serious health challenges that could have ended her career, Olympic champion Suni Lee just announced she's returning to gymnastics with her eyes on the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The 23-year-old shared the news Tuesday on Instagram with a powerful video featuring clips from training and competition. "I know what I'm capable of. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get there," Lee said in the video, which ended with a message: "This is more than a comeback, stay tuned."

Lee's announcement carries extra weight given what she's been through. The two-time Olympian has been publicly battling two rare kidney diseases that threatened not just her gymnastics career, but her health overall.

Her six Olympic medals include two golds, one silver, and three bronze. She made history as the first American woman to win two medals in uneven bars at the 2024 Paris Olympics, proving her dominance on the event.

The gymnastics community erupted with excitement at the news. USA Gymnastics posted their own celebration on Instagram, writing "The journey continues! Welcome back, Suni!" Fellow Olympians Jordan Chiles and Hezly Rivera flooded her comments with support.

Why This Inspires

Lee's decision to return shows incredible courage and determination. Most athletes would walk away after winning six Olympic medals and facing serious health challenges.

Instead, she's choosing to push forward. In 2025, she brought Dr. Marcia Faustin, co-head team physician for USA Gymnastics, as her guest to the ESPY Awards, where she won best comeback athlete. She publicly thanked the doctor "for guiding me through the toughest moments, reading every scan and report by my side."

That vulnerability and gratitude made her story even more powerful. Lee didn't hide her struggles or pretend everything was easy. She acknowledged the hard work, the medical support, and the determination it took to even consider competing again.

Now she's giving herself two full years to prepare for Los Angeles 2028. That timeline suggests she's being smart about her comeback, not rushing back before her body is ready.

With home crowd advantage and her track record of excellence, Lee could add even more medals to her already impressive collection while inspiring millions facing their own health battles.