Sunisa 'Suni' Lee says she’s retiring from college gymnastics early due to health issue

Sunisa “Suni” Lee is sharing some bittersweet news with her fans.

The Olympian, 20, just revealed that she is retiring from college gymnastics early to focus on her health as she navigates a kidney condition not related to her gymnastics career.

"I have been dealing with a non-gymnastics health related issue involving my kidneys. For my safety, the medical team did not clear me to train and compete over the last few weeks," she wrote on Twitter. “I am blessed and thankful to be working with the best specialized medical team to treat and manage my diagnosis. My focus at this time is my health and recovery."

Lee, who won three medals at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, has been attending Alabama’s Auburn University since the fall of 2021 and is in her sophomore season competing for the school's gymnastics team. In her Twitter post, she gave her teammates a shoutout.

"I am so proud of my team and the way they showed determination and resilience this season. Auburn, thank you for the best 2 years of my life and for giving me the opportunity to make history alongside this amazing group. I am forever grateful for this community," she wrote.

Lee acknowledged that it has been "challenging" to end her college gymnastics career early, but said she has received lots of "love and support" so far.

In November 2022, the Olympian announced that this would be her last year competing for Auburn University and revealed that she was hoping to compete in the 2024 Paris Games.

“I don’t want it (the Olympics) to just be once in a lifetime,” she said at the time. “I have my sights set on Paris in 2024, and I know what I have to do to get there. I’m looking forward to rolling up my sleeves and putting in the work.”

The gymnast reiterated that passion in her retirement announcement on Monday and said this doesn't change her plans to go for the gold in Paris.

"I will not stop pursuing my dreams for a bid to Paris in 2024. In fact, this experience has sharpened my vision for the future," she wrote.

Lee paid homage to her school in the closing line of her post and referenced Auburn's official battle cry. "War eagle forever," she wrote.

This article was originally published on TODAY.com