Suni Lee Makes History as First Hmong American to Make the US Olympic Gymnastics Team

June 28, 2021

Suni Lee has become the first Hmong American to ever make the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team and is the first gymnast to beat Simone Biles in any phase since 2013.

Making the team: The 18-year-old gymnast secured one of two guaranteed spots on the team as she finished in second place during the two-day event on June 27.

Lee received an all-around score of 115.832 in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, according to NBC Sports Boston.
This marked “the first time anyone had bested Biles in any phase of an all-around meet since 2013,” according to USA Today.
She scored a 15.300 on the first day of trials, led the balance beam competition, and finished first on the uneven bars.
Lee stated that it was a “really proud moment overall” because it “just felt like all my hard work paid off.”

Achieving her dreams: Lee reached her goal of becoming the first Hmong American to make the Olympic gymnastics team and will officially compete in the Tokyo Olympics.

“Unreal. I am so extremely honored and blessed to get the opportunity to represent Team USA at the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. This is a dream come true, but this is only the beginning,” Lee wrote in an Instagram post.
Lee said her father, who typically gives her pep talks before her meets, told her to “go out there and do what I normally do- not too much, and not too little.”

Featured Image via Getty

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