Suni Lee reveals why she was 'in shock' after winning bronze in individual all-around at Paris Olympics

PARIS, FRANCE: Sunisa "Suni" Lee was in "shock" when she snagged a bronze medal in the women's all-around final at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The 21-year-old gymnast, who previously won gold at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics in the same event, hadn’t anticipated that she would reach the podium this time around. 

Suni Lee got emotional on securing bronze in the women's all-around final 

The Team USA athlete was left in awe when her floor routine score catapulted her from fourth to third place on Thursday, August 1, earning her the bronze medal. 

"It felt absolutely amazing. I was in shock," Lee told Today on Friday. She recalled, "I didn't think that I was going to be able to podium." 

After delivering her final salute, Lee received a score of 13.666 from the judges, securing her spot on the podium. The defending Olympic champion's combined score stood at 56.465. 

The Olympian continued, "Coming in my floor routine, I literally told myself, we're just going to end it off the right way and I'm just going to do everything that I can to just finish it off because being here is an accomplishment itself."

Lee's teammate, Simone Biles, the most decorated American gymnast of all time, claimed gold in the final, while Brazil's Rebeca Andrade secured silver.

Looking back on her bronze medal moment, Lee shared with Today's Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb, "I honestly got a bit emotional. You might not have noticed, but I nearly started tearing up. I was just so incredibly happy."

"I came off and my coach was like, 'I told you.' He was like, 'I knew you could do it.' And he's like, 'I'm just so proud of you,' because he's like, 'I will always bet on you.' It means so much."

Biles and Lee had previously led Team USA to gold in the team all-around final on Tuesday. 

The 21-year-old is now gearing to compete in the balance beam and uneven bars. Lee took bronze in the uneven bars in Tokyo. 

Suni Lee battled incurable kidney diseases to reach the Paris Olympics

Suni Lee's path to the Paris Olympics was fraught with challenges. 

Last year, the gymnast was diagnosed with two rare kidney diseases, which immediately affected her training as her body had swelled up due to water retention. They led the 21-year-old to retire from college gymnastics to focus on her health, but she was determined to reach Paris. 

After giving her body the needed rest, Lee returned to the mat with an adjusted training schedule. In January, her doctors told her she could compete in the 2024 Summer Games, and now, the conditions are in remission. 

Lee took to Instagram on Friday to write, "From being told that I would never be able to do gymnastics again to winning my 5th olympic medal!!🥹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹."

The Olympian continued, "This medal goes deeper than gymnastics. I can’t even begin to express how much my health has taken away from me & the strength it has taught me, so to be here is the greatest achievement of all. grateful for the opportunity to be able to represent team USA at my second olympic games! thank you for all the support ❤️."

Accompanying her on 'Today' was teammate Jordan Chiles, who, alongside Biles, Jade Carey, and Hezly Rivera, played a crucial role in securing Team USA's gold in the women's team finals.

According to E! News, with the team and all-around finals now behind them, the spotlight turns to the individual events.

Both Chiles and Biles have earned spots in the floor routine final, the grand finale of the women's gymnastics competition. Biles won gold in the floor routine final at the 2016 Rio Olympics.