PARIS – Auburn’s Sunisa Lee added to her medal count Sunday afternoon in Paris, repeating as the bronze medalist on the uneven bars in Bercy Arena.
“I really believed in myself,” Lee said afterwards. “When I put my mind to something, I really believe that I can achieve it, so I was really aiming for third place. It was super fun to be a part of this bars final and the pressure was on. This bars final was so much more meaningful, and I just wanted to put a clean routine together.”
Lee, the bronze medalist at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in the event, earned her third medal of the 2024 Paris Olympics and her sixth overall between the two games. With that total, she is second among all Auburn Olympic athletes.
“What a fantastic uneven bars final,” Auburn head coach Jeff Graba said. “It’s great to see Suni come out and be successful again with her back against the wall. She knocked it out of the park and we’re extremely proud of her!”
The top eight finishers during qualifying advanced to the uneven bars final and after a draw, Lee found herself as the final athlete to go in the event.
“I liked going last this time around,” Lee said. “I had to watch all those in front of me, so it definitely put some pressure on.”
Needing to beat a 14.733 from reigning Olympic bars champion Nina Derwael of Belgium, Lee put together a clean set with a small step on her dismount to secure a 14.800 for third. That score was the second highest for her on the week behind her 14.866 qualification score (July 28) and the individual all-around final bars score (August 1).
Algeria’s Kaylia Nemour won the event with a 15.700, while China’s Qiyuan Qui finished second with a 15.500.
Lee’s final event of the Olympic Games will be beam, which will be held Monday, August 5, 5:36 a.m. CT.