Suni Lee is an Olympic champion.
Lee won the Olympic gymnastics all-around title Thursday night, becoming the fifth consecutive American woman to do so. She joins Carly Patterson, Nastia Liukin, Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles as Olympic gold medalists.
Her score of 57.433 was enough to beat Brazil’s Rebeca Andrade, who won silver with a score of 57.298. Russia’s Angelina Melnikova claimed the bronze.
Lee improved by three-tenths on her qualifying score to claim the gold, continuing her all around stunning performance that began in Tuesday’s team all-around after Biles bowed out for mental health reasons.
The win also makes Lee the first Hmong-American gymnast to win an individual gold medal in the Olympics.
Not able to be there in person due to COVID, Lee’s parents had plenty of people to celebrate with as they watched her win gold.
She did it. @sunisalee_ is the queen of the women’s gymnastics all-around finals and her parents. OMG. Tears every where. 🥺 #Gold #TokyoOlympics #hmong pic.twitter.com/n2xM7VJOPq— Gia Vang (@Gia_Vang) July 29, 2021
She did it. @sunisalee_ is the queen of the women’s gymnastics all-around finals and her parents. OMG. Tears every where. 🥺 #Gold #TokyoOlympics #hmong pic.twitter.com/n2xM7VJOPq
Aly Raisman was quick to congratulate Lee on Twitter.
.@sunisalee_ YOU ARE A SUPERSTAR.— Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) July 29, 2021
.@sunisalee_ YOU ARE A SUPERSTAR.
And UConn basketball star and fellow Minnesota native Paige Bueckers tweeted her congratulations.
SUNNIIIII!!!!! My heart is so happy for you! CONGRATSSSS💕💕💕💕 @sunisalee_— Paige Bueckers (@paigebueckers1) July 29, 2021
SUNNIIIII!!!!! My heart is so happy for you! CONGRATSSSS💕💕💕💕 @sunisalee_