Suni Lee drops major LA 2028 hint amid acting dreams and modeling for Travis Kelce's brand as Olympic icon opens up on comeback from kidney disease

Last summer, Team USA star Sunisa 'Suni' Lee beat the odds to return to the Olympic podium in Paris. 

The 22-year-old claimed three more medals in the French capital adding to her haul from the previous games in Tokyo. 

Yet, just making it back to the Olympic stage - never mind the podium - was arguably the greatest prize. The American gymnast overcame an incurable kidney disease that threatened to cut her career short to seal her triumphant return to Team USA. 

But just one year on from the Paris Olympics, she's not certain if she'll be making another comeback - not even for her home games at Los Angeles 2028. 

'My life has been crazy,' she tells Daily Mail Sport at Raising Cane's NYFW show, reflecting on her year since leaving Paris behind.

'I’ve just been learning to find myself and find everything else that I’m passionate about because who knows if I’ll come back for the next Olympics. But it’s been a really fun journey,' she adds, speaking before the fashion show where Livvy Dunne and Brooks Nader graced the catwalk in looks designed by TikTok fashion sensation Joe Ando-Hirsh.

Following her first Olympics in Tokyo in 2021, Lee was on the highest of highs. She'd claimed three medals, including the gold in the women's all-round at just 18 years old. She shot into the spotlight, competing on Dancing with the Stars before returning to her studies at Auburn University. 

Unlike this year, she also already had her sights set on the next Olympics and her plans to seal her spot on Team USA. But that dream came to a screeching halt in early 2023. 

Simone Biles and her struggles with the 'twisties' dominated headlines following the 2020 Olympics but the three years between Tokyo and Paris were just as tough - if not more - for Lee. 

The Minnesota native was forced to take a six-month hiatus from gymnastics after she was diagnosed with an unspecified, incurable kidney disease.

The Olympic champion first noticed swelling symptoms which eventually increased to the point she gained 40 pounds. Doctors first told her it was just allergies, but Lee knew that wasn't the answer. She'd gained eight pounds overnight, waking up to find her face and body completely swollen. 

Eventually, after multiple trips to different doctors, testing and an eventual kidney biopsy diagnosed her with kidney disease.

And the battle wasn't purely physical. The Olympian also had to overcome mental challenges too. Lee faced a new reality that her body couldn't deliver as it once did, leaving her frustrated and on the brink of quitting the sport.  

Her diagnosis wasn't just an illness, it was a threat that could end her gymnastics career for good. 

But out of sheer will and determination, along with support from her team, including Dr. Marcia Faustin, who she brought as her date to the 2025 ESPYs to claim the Comeback Athlete of the Year award, Lee overcame a once seemingly insurmountable obstacle to land back on the Olympic podium.

'The Paris Olympics were a really crazy ride,' she admits to Daily Mail Sport. 'It was so much fun though.

'I was just so happy I was able to overcome everything and keep working towards that goal. I’m happy that I had the support that I had, I wouldn’t be here without them. 

'Looking back makes me really proud of myself. I think a lot of the time us athletes don’t give ourselves enough credit. So, it’s really nice to be here and look back and think, “Oh wow, I did that.’ Now we can move on to the next and focus on what’s in front of me.' 

It begs the question: If not the Olympics, then what is next for Suni Lee? 

'I have a lot of exciting things coming up,' she coyly says, sharing a wry smile as she refuses to divulge any concrete clues.

'I’ve been focusing on fashion, maybe getting into acting, finding things I’m passionate about. I’ve been playing different sports and getting into different activities that you wouldn’t think I would do. Just been having a lot of fun.' 

Despite wanting to enjoy a slower pace of life, Lee ironically moved to the city that never sleeps. Now living in New York, Lee has embraced the Big Apple's boisterous sporting scene, swapping the spotlight for the sidelines. 

Lee became a frequent feature on Celebrity Row at Madison Square Garden this summer when she soaked up the New York Knicks' playoff action. In fact, she was such a habitual visitor to the garden that she garnered romantic links to Knicks star OG Anunoby.  

And, while she firmly shut down the rumors, her star power is only continuing to rocket as she transitions from the beam to the screen. 

She's already starred in a number of campaigns, including NFL star Travis Kelce's collaboration with American Eagle. Lee modelled for the Kansas City Chiefs tight end's AE x Tru Kolors launch alongside fellow athletes, including college basketball star Azzi Fudd and Kiyan Anthony. 

She made her modelling debut earlier in the year, appearing in the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue alongside her Olympic teammate - and new Dancing with the Stars celebrity - Jordan Chiles. 

No stranger to makeup from her time on the gymnastics mat, Lee has also inked numerous deals with brands such as Laneige and Ole Henriksen.

For me it's super important to look good. For me, I know if I wake up and I'm having an off day, I just know the day is going to be bad. I'm suprstitious too, I have to get ready two hours before, have the same coffee drink, have the same breakfast - a bunch of different things that go into my competition day. I think being confident is really important. When you feel good, you are able to compete and do well.