Suni Lee announces her return to gymnastics, with Los Angeles Olympics in focus
Lee made her announcement Tuesday morning, two years to the day from the 2028 Olympics opening ceremony.
Auburn legend Suni Lee announced she’s getting back in the gym on Tuesday — exactly two years before the scheduled opening ceremonies of the Los Angeles Olympics on July 14, 2028.
Lee made her announcement on Instagram.
Lee, on the outset as the cycle begins, figures to be one of the favorites to make Team USA for the 2028 Olympics, but she’ll have to earn the opportunity. Roster spots for Team USA are decided during the U.S. Team Trials in the months before the Olympics. Her goal over the next two years will be to get in world-class competition form, and qualify for those team trials based on her performances as USA Gymnastics’ major domestic events.
“I know what I’m capable of. I’m willing to do whatever it takes to get there,” Lee said in the video she posted Tuesday. “Back in the gym,” she said simply. The video displayed the words: “This is more than a comeback. Stay tuned.”
Lee will once again be training with Jess Graba and former Auburn head coach Jeff Graba at Midwest Gymnastics, Midwest confirmed on Instagram. Jeff joined the staff at Midwest in May after his tenure at Auburn ended earlier this spring.
Lee has won medals at the last two Summer Olympics, winning all-around gold, team silver and bronze bars at the Tokyo Olympics in summer 2021 before arriving at Auburn — then at the Paris Olympics in summer 2024 winning team gold, all-around bronze and bars bronze after her Auburn career ended.
Lee previously, and since the 2024 Olympics, was officially and publicly undecided on whether she would try to compete at the 2028 Olympics — which is common for senior elite international gymnasts. Her former Team USA teammate Simone Biles is also officially undecided on whether she’ll compete — leaving the door open to both competing and retiring.
If the returning veterans can compete again at the same level they competed in 2024, Team USA could likely use them: Few younger stars have risen up as of yet to take hold of the scene in the last two years. Earlier this year at the Winter Cup, Hezly Rivera from the Paris Olympics team dominated the podium, winning the all-around, beam and floor titles while finishing runner-up on bars.
U.S. Team Trials will open June 16, 2028, in Louisville, Ky. Birmingham was one of four finalists to host the trials, but Louisville ended up winning the bid.
To qualify for trials, Lee would have to do well enough at the U.S. Championships in May 2028, and to be there, she’d have to do well enough at a qualifier event like the Winter Cup, American Classic or U.S. Classic earlier in spring 2028.
I hope she still intends to go to Auburn after the Olympics.
Return of the Queen