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Sports Desk • Gymnastics

Sunisa Lee

Sunisa Lee, known as Suni Lee, is an American artistic gymnast from Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Sunisa Lee is an American artistic gymnast who won the individual all-around gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She is one of the most decorated U.S. gymnasts with six Olympic medals.

Early life and background

Lee was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and began gymnastics training at a young age. She is widely described as a Hmong American athlete who rose through the U.S. junior and elite gymnastics system.

Elite international career

Lee became a major contender at the 2019 World Championships, contributing to team gold and earning individual medals. At the Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021), she won all-around gold, team silver, and uneven bars bronze. She later competed for Auburn University in NCAA gymnastics, earning honours including a balance beam title.

Return to competition and Paris 2024

Lee was sidelined in 2023 by two forms of kidney disease but returned to qualify for the 2024 Olympics. In Paris, she helped the United States win team gold and added bronze medals in the all-around and uneven bars, bringing her career total to six Olympic medals.

In short

  • Won Olympic all-around gold at Tokyo 2020.
  • First Asian American woman to win Olympic all-around gold.
  • First Hmong American Olympic athlete.
  • Has six Olympic medals: two gold, one silver, three bronze.
Canadian angle

Canadian readers may know Lee as a major figure in international artistic gymnastics, especially through Olympic and World Championship competition that also features Canadian athletes.

Quick questions

Who is Sunisa Lee?
She is an American artistic gymnast from Saint Paul, Minnesota, best known for winning the Olympic all-around title at Tokyo 2020 and additional medals in 2020 and 2024.
How many Olympic medals does Sunisa Lee have?
She has six Olympic medals in total: two gold, one silver, and three bronze.
What health issue affected her career?
She was sidelined in 2023 by two forms of kidney disease before returning to elite competition.

Sources

  1. Team USAhttps://www.teamusa.com/profiles/sunisa-lee-1074875
    Supports: Olympic participation, medal total, and athlete profile details.
  2. Biography.comhttps://www.biography.com/athletes/a61611825/suni-lee
    Supports: Tokyo 2020 results, heritage note, Auburn attendance, and kidney disease return.
  3. USA Gymnasticshttps://www.usa-gymnastics.org/pages/athletes/athleteListDetail.html?id=467541
    Supports: Birthdate, residence, program, and 2024 Olympic results.
  4. Encyclopaedia Britannicahttps://www.britannica.com/biography/Suni-Lee
    Supports: Biographical overview, Tokyo and Paris Olympic results, and historical significance.
  5. NBC Olympicshttps://www.nbcolympics.com/news/suni-lee-career-highlights
    Supports: World Championships results, Auburn career, and collegiate achievements.