“Last Year I Was Putting a Lot of Pressure on Myself” : 19-Year Old Gymnastic Sensation Suni Lee Recalls Fighting a Soul-Crushing Syndrome

Published 11/24/2022, 3:00 PM EST

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One of the top 10 American gymnasts, Suni Lee is an Olympic Champion. Competing since 2016, she helped the USA team win gold medals in gymnastics at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She also scored a perfect 10 on a beam, creating history in gymnastics.  

It is said that the perfection of Suni Lee’s gymnastics is due to her hard work. Several times, working very hard took a toll on Suni’s health. There was also doubt about whether Suni was deserving to win the Olympics, which affected her. In a talk with ESPN, Suni disclosed the Imposter Syndrome that she experienced, which involves feeling incompetent. 

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When Suni Lee disclosed her battle with the deadly syndrome

Suni Lee spoke of how she used to get anxiety attacks at meetings, especially during the Olympics. “Last year I was putting a lot of pressure on myself because I was coming off the Olympics”, she said. Also, the fame and the fans screaming her name made it difficult for her to focus. This also made her withdraw from competitions due to her mental health. 

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The gymnastics champion then took to writing in a journal to deal with anxiety issues. On Twitter, she shared a page from that journal, which had the words “Be Strong. Be Confident. Stay Focused.” Suni also spoke about how she tried to ignore what was written about her. 


The gymnast legend also told about how her focus on intense training helped her fight the syndrome. “I think just getting in the gym and training more, and kind of realizing the athlete that I am”, Lee said. 

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Suni also spoke about her trying to just focus on one day at a time and just believe in herself.

What is the gymnastics champion doing now? 

Currently, Suni is a part of a partnership with Clif Bars. Suni Lee is also in a collaboration with Pearson Plus app. She also received the National Sportswoman of the Year Award for her contribution to gymnastics. 

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Watch Now: Simone Biles Made a Heartwarming Gesture to Suni Lee’s Dad

Achieving success at a young age, Suni Lee has inspired millions of hearts. Will Suni Lee make a comeback in the 2024 Paris Olympics? As fans, we eagerly await to see what Suni does in the future. 

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Written by:

Priya Hinduja

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Priya Hinduja is a US Sports author for EssentiallySports. Post pursuing her Master's Degree in English, she worked as an English language trainer at Osmos Club and also dabbled with marketing at Debugee Technologies Pvt Ltd for a year. With a keen interest in playing chess and badminton in her leisure time, she also follows the activities of Michael Phelps, whose story motivates and inspires her.
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Edited by:

Pritam Priyedarshi