Suni Lee adds to her Paris medal count, taking bronze on the uneven bars (2024)

FAQs

Suni Lee adds to her Paris medal count, taking bronze on the uneven bars? ›

Team USA gymnast Suni Lee clinched her third medal of the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning bronze in uneven bars Sunday. It's her third medal in Paris, previously capturing gold in the women's team all-around and bronze in the individual all-around.

On Sunday, the 21-year-old Lee of Saint Paul, Minnesota, took home the bronze in the uneven bars final. Lee was the only American woman to qualify for the event. She scored a 14.800 to edge out Belgium's Nina Derwael for the last spot on the podium. Algeria's Kaylia Nemour, the favorite, took gold with a 15.700.

Suni Lee's comeback is complete with 3 more medals

Lee won three medals in 2021 and three medals in 2024. But what happened during those three years is what makes 2024 so remarkable. The Minnesota native was diagnosed with two kidney diseases in March 2023, which put her athletic career into question.

Watch the 2024 Paris Olympics on NBC and streaming on Peaco*ck, July 26 - Aug 11.

Floor rotation

Lee scored a 13.666, guaranteeing her a spot on the podium. Andrade competed next. She was out of bounds on the first pass, but her routine was otherwise strong. She scored a 14.033, securing a medal.

Simone Biles became the first woman to win two Olympic all-around gold medals since Vera Caslavska in 1964 and 1968. There's no event Simone Biles can't do, but there is one event she won't be competing in at the 2024 Paris Olympics -- the uneven bars.

Team USA gymnast Suni Lee clinched her third medal of the 2024 Paris Olympics by winning bronze in uneven bars Sunday. It's her third medal in Paris, previously capturing gold in the women's team all-around and bronze in the individual all-around.

Olympics Photo of the Day: Catching a Fall

At the start of the women's artistic-gymnastics uneven-bars final, the 16-year-old gymnast Zhang Yihan of Team China fell during her performance. Unable to fully grasp the high bar during a tricky move, she dropped face-down toward the mats.

The main issue is the risk of a serious neck, spine or head injury, if the gymnast lands awkwardly, or if they end up hitting the bar instead of grasping it. Fast-forward to this year's Olympic Games in Paris and athletes might not be doing the Korbut flip, but they are performing some seriously impressive routines.

Suni Lee, an American gymnast from St. Paul, Minnesota, won gold in the women's gymnastics all-around competition on Thursday. Lee's performance wasn't just impressive for its athleticism and precision—it was also historic, as Lee is the first Hmong American to win an Olympic medal.

Does Suni Lee get paid? ›

Though the amount is unclear, it appears those wins each come with prize money. Suni also has the ability to broker major endorsem*nt deals as a result of her historic wins. Additionally, she has the capability to partner with brands for paid social media posts considering her whopping 2.2 million followers.

Lee is the 10th most-decorated American female gymnast with six world championships and Olympic medals. In 2021, she was named Sports Illustrated's Female Athlete of the Year and received an Asia Game Changer Award the same year.

Lee gets a 13.100

Lee's Olympic program will likely end with a gold in the team competition and two bronzes in the all-around and uneven bars. A disappointing end, but a strong return given the kidney issues she had to fight.

Qiu Qiyuan, also 17, of China scored 15.5 to win silver. For Nemour who was born and raised in France, the gold is extra meaningful. She began representing Algeria last year after the French Gymnastics Federation did not clear her to resume competition following knee surgery in 2021.