Suni Lee ends final Auburn gymnastics season early due to kidney issue

Olympic gymnastics champion Suni Lee said a kidney issue cut short her college career, but she still has her sights set on the Paris Games next year.

Lee, who already had announced plans to leave college and resume training at the elite level this spring, missed the end of the regular season, the Southeastern Conference championships and the NCAA regional because of what Auburn described as a “non-gymnastics health issue.” She revealed Monday in a post on social media that it was related to kidney problems.

“It’s been challenging to end my Auburn career early, but I am thankful for all the love and support,” Lee wrote. “I will not stop pursuing my dreams for a bid to Paris in 2024. In fact, this experience has sharpened my vision for the future. I appreciate all the love and support, and I want to especially thank my doctors, coaches, and the Auburn medical staff for their care during this time.”

Lee was the 2020 women’s all-around gymnastics champion in Tokyo. She then became the first reigning Olympic champion to compete at the NCAA level, taking advantage of new name, image and likeness rules that allow college athletes to make money while competing.

Lee said in November that this would be her final season at Auburn before focusing on preparations for her second Games. She has not announced publicly whether she plans to return to elite competition this year, or if it will be in early 2024.

As a freshman, she won the NCAA title on the balance beam and was runner-up in the all around. Before shutting down for the season in late February, Lee set a program record with nine perfect scores in less than two seasons, five on the beam and four on bars.

“For my safety, the medical team did not clear me to train and compete