US gymnastics star Suni Lee is set to defend her Olympic crown in Paris just over a year since being diagnosed with an incurable kidney disease.

Lee, who won gold in the women’s all-around event at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, has battled back from that diagnosis to make it to her second Games this summer, capturing her first gold medal of the competition alongside Simone Biles in the teams final on Tuesday.

Over the next week she will also bid to retain her all-around title while adding other medals to her collection, having claimed a team silver and uneven bars bronze three years ago.

But who is the 21-year-old aiming to make more history in the French capital?

DailyMail.com are on hand with everything you need to know about Lee.

US gymnastics star Suni Lee is set to defend her Olympic crown at this summer’s Paris Games

Who is Suni Lee?

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BREAKING NEWS

 Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee lead USA to its first team Olympic gold in artistic gymnastics since 2016

Suni Lee was born on March 9, 2003, to mother Yeev Thoj, who immigrated to the United States from the Southeast Asian country of Laos with her daughter and long-time partner John shortly after giving birth.

After gaining an interest in gymnastics at the age of six, she first took up the sport in her hometown of Minnesota and worked her way up to competing internationally by the age of 14.

The former Auburn college star claimed a team gold medal at the 2019 World Championships in Stuttgart, along with a silver in the floor exercise and a bronze in the uneven bars.

She went on to secure her first Olympic berth for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, which were held a year later than planned due to the Covid pandemic.

When they finally took place Lee walked away with three medals, including a gold in the all-around event.

Lee first took up gymnastics at the age of six and is now heading to her second Olympics

Why did her career almost end early?

Last year Lee 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, before testing and an eventual kidney biopsy diagnosed her with the disease.

She was forced to opt out of USA’s World Championship team last year as a result of the challenges of competing while on medication.

However, in January of this year she received some good news from her doctor, who called to tell her that the medication was working and that she would be able to compete in this summer’s Olympics.

‘We have it under control now,’ Lee recently said. ‘We know what to do and the right medication to take.’

She was forced to spend six months away from the sport last year due to a rare kidney disease

But after getting the green light from her doctor Lee was able to head to the Paris Games with the likes of Simone Biles (bottom left)

What events is she competing in at the 2024 Olympics?

Lee first competed in the women’s team finals on Tuesday July 30 along with superstar teammate Simone Biles.

The pair led Team USA to its first Olympic gold in artistic gymnastics since 2016 after easily beating their rivals at the 2024 Paris Games.

They finished with an impressive winning score of 171.296. Italy came in second and Brazil in third.

Lee will also defend her Olympic crown in the all-around finals on Thursday August 1.

The Minnesota native is then set to take part in the uneven bars finals on Sunday August 4 and the balance beam finals one day later.

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