Suni Lee revealed that while “competing for Auburn University has always been a dream of mine and a dream that rose in tandem with going to the Olympics,” the gold medalist announced Tuesday that 2023 will be her final season competing for the Tigers.
“My focus right now is to make it the most incredible season yet and to be the best teammate I can be,” Lee said in a video. “To strive for excellence and to reach our maximum potential.”
She went on to confirm that she will return to elite gymnastics following the 2023 campaign with the goal to make a run for the Paris ’24 Olympics. Lee said in the video posted to her Twitter, “Gymnastics is my passion and something that I love so deeply because it pushes me to be the best version of myself every single day.
“To every little girl whose circumstances have dictated your future but you pushed beyond them, I see you. I did it, and you can do it too because really, nothing is impossible.”
Lee was one of the breakout superstars from the Tokyo Olympics and brought home the all-around gold. Teammate Simone Biles took a step back from the team and all-around competition, citing a desire to focus on her mental health as well as a case of the “twisties.”
She was later named Sports Illustrated’s 2021 Female Athlete of the Year and was honored earlier on the Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world, finding herself under the "Pioneers" subcategory.
On the college scene, Lee continued her dominance. While her Olympics teammates like Jade Carey (Oregon) and Jordan Chiles (UCLA) competed in both collegiate and elite gymnastics, Lee focused solely on Auburn. She scored a perfect 10.0 on uneven bars in February and another 10.0 score on balance beam later that month. Throughout the year, Lee recorded five perfect scores, ending the regular season with the highest average score on both bars and beam in the country.
The Olympian helped lead Auburn to the “Four on the Floor,” but individually, she took home the SEC title for bars, the NCAA title on balance beam and finished as runner-up in the all-around.
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