Reigning Olympic all-around champion Sunisa Lee said she gained 45 pounds this year due to a "scary" kidney problem, according to USA Today's Josh Peter.
That same unspecified kidney issue caused Lee to announce in April the end of her college career during her sophomore season at Auburn.
"I couldn't fit into any of my clothes,'' Lee said. "My eyes were swollen shut. It was just so scary.''
The issue resulted in swelling that made it difficult for Lee to do the routines that won her the all-around gold and a bronze at the uneven bars at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, as well as a gold on balance beam at the 2022 NCAA Championships.
"I haven't had a really bad day in a while,'' Lee said, per Peter. "But in the beginning it was like I was waking up swollen. My fingers were so swollen they wouldn't fit into my grips and I couldn't hold on to the bar. … My whole body was swollen because I was retaining water, so I couldn't do a flip."
Those issues resulted in a lower-sodium diet and adjusting her training schedule to focus on what Lee calls her "good days," per Peter.
Lee rejoined competition at the U.S. Classic in August. She did not participate in her signature uneven bars event but earned a bronze medal on beam in her return.
In her April post announcing the end of her Auburn career, Lee said she still wanted to compete in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
"I will not stop pursuing my dreams for a bid to Paris in 2024," Lee wrote. "In fact, this experience has sharpened my vision for the future."
The U.S. Olympic Team trials will take place in June in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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