In an interview with ESPN this week, Suni Lee discussed the immense pressure she has felt during her freshman season at Auburn after winning the women's gymnastics all-around gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Lee, of St. Paul, said that she has battled imposter syndrome and at times felt like she might have to pull herself out of meets.
"I would have anxiety attacks at the meets," she said. "Like the first couple of the meets of this season, I was a wreck because it was like constant screaming my name and like, 'Suni, can you take a picture?' or 'Can you sign an autograph?' while I'm trying to concentrate."
And while Lee acknowledged that the attention mostly comes from a positive place, that doesn't make it any easier to comprehend.
In an attempt to share her experiences and goals with those who are passionate about her career, Lee posted a journal page on her Twitter account showing her "Meet Day Goals."
Jeff Graba, her coach at Auburn, said he has worked to help Lee put her season into perspective and help deal with the "immense amount of scrutiny she is facing."
Lee has scored two perfect 10s in competition for Auburn, which is currently ranked sixth in the nation. She also performed the first-ever Nabieva in NCAA college competition, a move she also used during the Olympics last year.
