2024 Olympics: Why Suni Lee Was in “Shock” Over Scoring Bronze Medal
2024 Olympics: Simone Biles Wins Gold at Gymnastics All-Around Final
Suni Lee is completely floored by her 2024 Paris Olympics milestone.
That’s because the 21-year-old didn’t expect to win any medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics women’s gymnastics all-around final.
So when the Team USA athlete’s floor routine score flipped her from fourth to third place in the Aug. 1 individual competition to earn the bronze, she was stunned.
“It felt absolutely amazing. I was in shock,” Lee told Today Aug. 2. “I didn’t think that I was going to be able to podium.”
The gymnast 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.”
Her teammate Simone Biles, the decorated American gymnast of all-time, took home the gold medal in the final, while Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade won silver.
“I honestly started getting a little bit emotional,” Lee recalled about her realization that she had won bronze, which marked her fifth Olympic medal. “I almost started tearing up. I was just like so happy.”
Biles and Lee had also helped Team USA earn gold at the team all-around final July 30. The two are set to compete individually again in the coming days—both in the balance beam finals, while Biles is also set to perform in the vault and floor exercise contests while Lee qualified for the uneven bars event.
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Lee, who won a gold medal at the individual all-around event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021, made it to Paris amid a health battle. Last year, she was diagnosed with two kidney diseases, which caused her symptoms such as water retention, which made her gain more than 40 pounds.
Naomi Baker/Getty Images
Lee has reflected on her health journey several times since qualifying for the 2024 Olympics.
“From being told that I would never be able to do gymnastics again,” she wrote on Instagram Aug. 2. “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.”
(E!, Today and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.)
Read on to see candid moments from the 2024 Olympics…
Sesame Workshop
Elmo’s World
Elmo’s got a t-rex, a go fish card and a selfie with Olympians Suni Lee and Jordan Chiles.
WANG Zhao / AFP via Getty Images
Concentrate!
France’s Felix Lebrun was extra careful while serving during table tennis.
Michael Steele/Getty Images
Getting Dirt-y
Team Germany’s Leo Neugebauer landed hard during the long jump.
JOHANNA SA?LL/BILDBYRA?N/Shutterstock
Jumping Over The Eiffel Tower
Olivier Perreau of France didn’t exactly jump over the actual Eiffel Tower, but close enough.
Jewel SAMAD / AFP via Getty Images
Running, Running
The women of the 500m race were going so fast, you could barely see their legs moving.
Ryan Browne/Shutterstock
Vroom Vroom
BMX bikers head straight for the cameras during the semifinal race.
Ryan Browne/Shutterstock
You Jump, I Jump
Anthony Harding and Jack Laugher of Team Great Britain were in perfect sync during the synchronized diving competition.
Richard Pelham/Getty Images
That’s Gotta Hurt
Canada’s Wyatt Sanford took quite the punch from Uzbekistan’s Ruslan Abdullaev.
Xinhua/Shutterstock
Nothing But Net
LeBron James proved once again he knows his way towards a slum dunk.
Charles McQuillan/Getty Images
One Eye Open
Kim Yeji of Team Republic of Korea was busy prepping during the Women’s 10m Air Pistol Final.
JUNG Yeon-je / AFP via Getty Images
Get The Ball!
Egypt’s Omar Assar leapt for the ball during an intense game of table tennis.
Ezra Shaw/Getty Images
A Well Deserved Rest
Cassandre Beaugrand of Team France was excited (and exhausted!) after winning gold in the women’s individual triathlon.
Dan Mullan/Getty Images
Selfie Queens
Team Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade and Team USA’s Simone Biles and Suni Lee posed for a selfie during the Gymnastics Women’s All-Around Final medal ceremony.
Sameer Al-DOUMY / POOL / AFP via Getty Images
Rebounding For The Win
Nigeria’s Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah jumped for the ball during her match against France.
Christophe SIMON / AFP via Getty Images
Life’s A Breeze
Men’s foil windsurfing embraced the wind as they raced to the finish.
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Leaping to New Heights
For Simone Biles, the limit to greatness does not exist.
Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images
In The Barrel
Caroline Marks of Team USA surfed her way closer to a medal.
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Reaching New Heights
Suni Lee’s balance beam routine was captured from a bird’s eye view.
Dave Winter/Shutterstock
Making Moves
Gold medalist Jiayu Yang of China lapped compatriot Hong Liu.
Laurent VU/SIPA/Shutterstock
Sun’s Out, Tongue’s Out
France’s Florent Manaudou had a cheeky greeting for the crowd.
Markus Gilliar – GES Sportfoto/Getty Images
Soleful Run
French cyclist Anthony Jeanjean lost his shoe during a fall at the men’s BMX freestyle park final. The Olympian went on to brush off his tumble and snagged the bronze medal with his second run.
Amin Mohammad Jamali/Getty Images
Diving Down
Diving practice never looked so fun.
Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Splashing to the Win
Team USA’s Katie Ledecky was ecstatic after winning gold in the women’s 1500m freestyle final.
Gabriel BOUYS / AFP
Taking It All In
Japan’s Shinnosuke Oka held his nation’s flag behind him as he celebrated earning the men’s all-around individual gold medal.
David Goldman / POOL / AFP
And They’re Off
Men’s individual triathalon athletes dove into the newly cleansed Seine River.
Amin Mohammad Jamali/Getty Images
In Sync
Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix and Lois Toulson from Great Britain were perfectly in tune with each other.
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Sharing The Love
Felix Dolci of Team Canada sent the crowd a heart after he redid his high bar performance following a fall due to a broken grip.
TOLGA AKMEN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Across The Finish Line
Cassandre Beaugrand of France crossed the finish line for the women’s triathalon.
CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images
History-Making Moment
The U.S. women’s rugby team celebrated the country’s first ever medal in the sport with their bronze win.
Sina Schuldt/picture alliance via Getty Images
Look Ma, No Hands
Argentina’s Jose Torres Gil went all in during his BMX freestyle performance.
Watch the 2024 Paris Olympics daily on NBC and Peacock until the summer games end with the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, Aug. 11, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.
