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2024 Olympics: Why Suni Lee Was in “Shock” Over Scoring Bronze Medal

2024 Olympics: Simone Biles Wins Gold at Gymnastics All-Around Final

Suni Lee is completely floored by her 2024 Paris Olympics milestone.

That’s because the 21-year-old didn’t expect to win any medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics women’s gymnastics all-around final.

So when the Team USA athlete’s floor routine score flipped her from fourth to third place in the Aug. 1 individual competition to earn the bronze, she was stunned.

“It felt absolutely amazing. I was in shock,” Lee told Today Aug. 2. “I didn’t think that I was going to be able to podium.”

The gymnast continued, “Coming in my floor routine, I literally told myself, we’re just going to end it off the right way and I’m just going to do everything that I can to just finish it off, because being here is an accomplishment itself.”

Her teammate Simone Biles, the decorated American gymnast of all-time, took home the gold medal in the final, while Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade won silver.

“I honestly started getting a little bit emotional,” Lee recalled about her realization that she had won bronze, which marked her fifth Olympic medal. “I almost started tearing up. I was just like so happy.”

Biles and Lee had also helped Team USA earn gold at the team all-around final July 30. The two are set to compete individually again in the coming days—both in the balance beam finals, while Biles is also set to perform in the vault and floor exercise contests while Lee qualified for the uneven bars event.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Lee, who won a gold medal at the individual all-around event at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021, made it to Paris amid a health battle. Last year, she was diagnosed with two kidney diseases, which caused her symptoms such as water retention, which made her gain more than 40 pounds.

Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Lee has reflected on her health journey several times since qualifying for the 2024 Olympics.

“From being told that I would never be able to do gymnastics again,” she wrote on Instagram Aug. 2. “to winning my 5th olympic medal!!”

The Olympian continued, “This medal goes deeper than gymnastics. I can’t even begin to express how much my health has taken away from me & the strength it has taught me, so to be here is the greatest achievement of all. grateful for the opportunity to be able to represent team USA at my second Olympic games! Thank you for all the support.”

(E!, Today and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.)

Read on to see candid moments from the 2024 Olympics…

Sesame Workshop

Elmo’s World

Elmo‘s got a t-rex, a go fish card and a selfie with Olympians Suni Lee and Jordan Chiles.

WANG Zhao / AFP via Getty Images

Concentrate!

France’s Felix Lebrun was extra careful while serving during table tennis.

Michael Steele/Getty Images

Getting Dirt-y

Team Germany’s Leo Neugebauer landed hard during the long jump.

JOHANNA SA?LL/BILDBYRA?N/Shutterstock

Jumping Over The Eiffel Tower

Olivier Perreau of France didn’t exactly jump over the actual Eiffel Tower, but close enough.

Jewel SAMAD / AFP via Getty Images

Running, Running

The women of the 500m race were going so fast, you could barely see their legs moving.

Ryan Browne/Shutterstock

Vroom Vroom

BMX bikers head straight for the cameras during the semifinal race.

Ryan Browne/Shutterstock

You Jump, I Jump

Anthony Harding and Jack Laugher of Team Great Britain were in perfect sync during the synchronized diving competition.

Richard Pelham/Getty Images

That’s Gotta Hurt

Canada’s Wyatt Sanford took quite the punch from Uzbekistan’s Ruslan Abdullaev.

Xinhua/Shutterstock

Nothing But Net

LeBron James proved once again he knows his way towards a slum dunk.

Charles McQuillan/Getty Images

One Eye Open

Kim Yeji of Team Republic of Korea was busy prepping during the Women’s 10m Air Pistol Final.

JUNG Yeon-je / AFP via Getty Images

Get The Ball!

Egypt’s Omar Assar leapt for the ball during an intense game of table tennis.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

A Well Deserved Rest

Cassandre Beaugrand of Team France was excited (and exhausted!) after winning gold in the women’s individual triathlon.

Dan Mullan/Getty Images

Selfie Queens

Team Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade and Team USA’s Simone Biles and Suni Lee posed for a selfie during the Gymnastics Women’s All-Around Final medal ceremony.

Sameer Al-DOUMY / POOL / AFP via Getty Images

Rebounding For The Win

Nigeria’s Pallas Kunaiyi-Akpanah jumped for the ball during her match against France. 

Christophe SIMON / AFP via Getty Images

Life’s A Breeze

Men’s foil windsurfing embraced the wind as they raced to the finish. 

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Leaping to New Heights

For Simone Biles, the limit to greatness does not exist. 

Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

In The Barrel

Caroline Marks of Team USA surfed her way closer to a medal. 

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Reaching New Heights

Suni Lee‘s balance beam routine was captured from a bird’s eye view. 

Dave Winter/Shutterstock

Making Moves

Gold medalist Jiayu Yang of China lapped compatriot Hong Liu

Laurent VU/SIPA/Shutterstock

Sun’s Out, Tongue’s Out

France’s Florent Manaudou had a cheeky greeting for the crowd. 

Markus Gilliar – GES Sportfoto/Getty Images

Soleful Run

French cyclist Anthony Jeanjean lost his shoe during a fall at the men’s BMX freestyle park final. The Olympian went on to brush off his tumble and snagged the bronze medal with his second run.

Amin Mohammad Jamali/Getty Images

Diving Down

Diving practice never looked so fun.

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Splashing to the Win

Team USA’s Katie Ledecky was ecstatic after winning gold in the women’s 1500m freestyle final.

Gabriel BOUYS / AFP

Taking It All In

Japan’s Shinnosuke Oka held his nation’s flag behind him as he celebrated earning the men’s all-around individual gold medal. 

David Goldman / POOL / AFP

And They’re Off

Men’s individual triathalon athletes dove into the newly cleansed Seine River. 

Amin Mohammad Jamali/Getty Images

In Sync

Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix and Lois Toulson from Great Britain were perfectly in tune with each other.

Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Sharing The Love

Felix Dolci of Team Canada sent the crowd a heart after he redid his high bar performance following a fall due to a broken grip. 

TOLGA AKMEN/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Across The Finish Line

Cassandre Beaugrand of France crossed the finish line for the women’s triathalon. 

CARL DE SOUZA/AFP via Getty Images

History-Making Moment

The  U.S. women’s rugby team celebrated the country’s first ever medal in the sport with their bronze win. 

Sina Schuldt/picture alliance via Getty Images

Look Ma, No Hands

Argentina’s Jose Torres Gil went all in during his BMX freestyle performance. 

Watch the 2024 Paris Olympics daily on NBC and Peacock until the summer games end with the Closing Ceremony on Sunday, Aug. 11, at 7 p.m. ET/PT.

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