The anxiety hit Sunisa Lee unexpectedly. The 2021 Olympic gymnastics champion was preparing for her return to elite gymnastics at Saturday's U.S. Classic when the fear of having who she is measured against who she was during her somewhat unexpected victory in Tokyo two years ago washed over her. The moment quickly passed.
The 2021 Olympic gymnastics champion was preparing for her return to elite gymnastics at Saturday's U.S. Classic when the fear of having who she is measured against who she was during her somewhat unexpected victory in Tokyo two years ago washed over her.
That doesn't mean adjusting her own expectations has been easy. Lee nearly quit during the quarantine portion of the COVID-19 pandemic and spent the run-up to Tokyo battling ankle injuries that at times made it difficult for her to walk, let alone put together the kind of routines required to reach the top of her sport.
That didn't mean it was easy. She ended up taking classes remotely to accommodate a busy schedule and cut down on distractions. She thrived on the competition floor, taking advantage of NCAA scoring that puts an emphasis on execution rather than difficulty. Coach Jess Graba estimates Lee is about"60 percent" of where she was pre-Tokyo. There will be days when she will cut practice short because she simply doesn't have the juice. There also will be days when she's feeling so good they feel like they can make up a bit for lost time.That includes not pushing it this weekend. The issue isn't her skills, it's being able to stand up to the rigors of stringing them all together in competition.
The gymnast that takes the floor this weekend won't be the same one that will take the floor in San Jose this month at the U.S. Championships provided she qualifies. Who knows where she'll be a year from now?
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