30 American athletes to watch at the 2024 Paris Olympics
By Nick Villano
13. Sunisa Lee
Gymnastics
The U.S. Olympic team is returning two superstar gymnasts. One might be the greatest athlete we’ve ever seen. The other is Sunisa Lee. While this sounds like an insult to Lee, don’t take anything away from her accomplishments. She’s an incredible athlete that is incredibly decorated.
Lee won the coveted all-around gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics. She excelled on the balance beam and floor exercise to stand out above the rest of the competition. When Simone Biles fell in Japan, Lee became the leader for the U.S. gymnastics team. She helped the team win a silver medal, and she even took home a bronze medal for the uneven bars.
Since the Olympics, Lee has mostly been competing at Auburn University. She’s achieved eight perfect 10s, in both the uneven bars and the balance beam. She continues to dominate these two events, ranking first in uneven bars throughout her college career.
In Paris, Lee is trying to prove her Tokyo performance wasn’t a fluke. She showcased how good she could be at the Olympic Trials, finishing second in the all around. Lee is an athlete who shows up when the lights shine brightest, and nobody is surprised she’s back representing the U.S.A. once again.