All the eyeballs in the world were glued to just one broadcast on 5th August 2023. The Core Hydration Classic event of 2023 was booming with chants, claps, and cheers. Sunisa Lee stepped onto the mat after a long hiatus since April. She stood before a huge crowd, a grand stage, and a Queen who had returned from her exile, Simone Biles. Standing unfazed in the arena, the reigning all-around Olympic gold medalist showed the world what she was made of.

The Hmong-American Olympian has been struggling with a severe kidney issue for a long time now. Scoring the highest points in the first round, Suni was overwhelmed with tears and emotion as she outclassed Queen Biles. It goes without saying that Sunisa Lee was more than prepared to take on the competition. However, before entering the battlegrounds, Suni shared an ?essential? item she always had before her events. The gymnastics star shared the image of a pre-meet activity that completed her US Classic preparation.

Sunisa Lee and her tiny secret to great performances

Every sportsperson has a small ritual before entering any event. Such things help them get in the zone and zero in on nothing else but the competition. While Sunisa Lee fans already know that Suni loves to write in her journal, she recently shared another one of her secrets. Hours before entering the arena in Chicago and raking in the highest first-round score, Suni shared a special story via her Instagram handle.

The 20-year-old gymnast clicked the picture of her favorite drinks before competing. The picture showed four different drinks purchased from an outlet of Starbucks. Sunisa Lee captioned the image as ‘essential’ while uploading the photo for her fans. Her fans delightedly learned that their favorite gymnast was relaxing and enjoying herself before entering one of the greatest battles of her career. At the end of the day, Suni walked away with what she had come for.

Suni?s unfortunate withdrawal from the gymnastics arena

Sunisa Lee had decided to compete at the US Classic despite not being physically fit for the contest. The three-time- Olympic medalist didn?t want to miss out on her chance to qualify for the upcoming nationals, as that would have closed her doors to Paris. However, despite her health condition, Lee rose to the occasion and collected marks and cheers for her performance instead of sympathy. Sunisa Lee and her coach, Jess Graba, had a thorough game plan. Sunisa made it clear that she just had to qualify for the nationals and not overexert herself.

ALSO READ – Struggling With Major Kidney Issues, Suni Lee Bursts Into Tears After Outclassing Simone Biles in First Event at US Classic 2023

Graba had revealed that Suni won?t participate in the floor exercises and, thus, will only partake in three categories. Sunisa was training hard to win the uneven bars category. However, the ace gymnast had to forfeit as her condition worsened. Sunisa Lee obtained a score of 13.50 in the vault category and a score of 14.50 in the balance beam category, which Biles later surpassed. However, Lee achieved what she had come for and will now prepare for the upcoming nationals at San Jose. With more training and her ?essential? Starbucks order, Suni will look forward to closing all gaps between her and Paris.

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