Sunisa Lee, a member of the U.S. women’s gymnastics team, won Olympic gold at the Tokyo Olympics. Lee competed in the individual all-around competition for gymnastics, and according to NPR, Lee’s win continues a now-five-time U.S. streak of winning Olympic gold in the individual all-around.
“I was nervous, but I did my best, and I’m super proud of myself,” Lee told reporters after the competition. “It’s crazy. I didn’t ever think I’d be here.” Lee was one of two sent to the event, being joined by Jade Carey (who finished 8th), who stepped in as the U.S.’s second of two entrants in the competition, after teammate Simone Biles pulled out to put her mental health and physical safety first and foremost.
According to ESPN, Lee’s total score at the all-around event was 57.433. Her work on the uneven bars made her stand out amongst her competitors, but it was the 18-year-old Hmong-American’s floor routine that made her Olympic gold possible—even though it’s not considered her strongest event throughout the competition—and cemented her place as a top contender of the sport.
It’s important to note that Lee is part of a community often forgotten about, but so worth knowing. According to Time, Lee is from St. Paul, Minnesota, a place where many Hmong families resettled after the the Vietnam war and to escape persecution. And until Lee, many in the Hmong community felt like there was no representation for them, something that will resonate through the people who know her story and are inspired by it.
Gaomong Xiong, a junior in high school that is on her school’s gymnastics team and sister of former gynmast Patsy Thayieng, told Time, “There was no representation anywhere until Sunisa Lee. It’s different because she’s Hmong, like me. She’s from St. Paul, like me. And so, I think this gives us and future generations a sense of hope.”
The Hmong community and others continued spreading the love when it comes to Lee by celebrating her on social media, as well!
Golden reaction for a golden moment! 🥇
@sunisalee_‘s family witnessing her historic win!#TokyoOlympics | #OlympicHERstory | @OnHerTurf pic.twitter.com/WcrZv3llaB— #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) July 29, 2021
SHE DID IT!!!!!!!!!!! @sunisalee_ WON THE WOMEN’S ALL-AROUND!!! GOLD MEDAL! @TeamUSA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SUNI! SUNI! SUNI! pic.twitter.com/B9GLUI1Wfx
— Jummy Olabanji (@JummyNBC) July 29, 2021
The last five Olympic all-around champions have all been from the USA — Carly Patterson, Nasta Liukin, Gabby Douglas, Simone Biles, and now, Sunisa Lee.
The last 3 are all WOC, w/ Lee being the first Hmong-American ever in the Olympics.
Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.
— Lindsay Gibbs (@linzsports) July 29, 2021
Sunisa Lee has won GOLD for the United States of America gymnastics!
A Hmong American woman, the first ever in the Olympics. Our ancestors are dancing right now. pic.twitter.com/NFh697nYBy
— Chenue Her (@ChenueHer) July 29, 2021
.@sunisalee_ YOU ARE A SUPERSTAR.
— Alexandra Raisman (@Aly_Raisman) July 29, 2021
SUNISA FREAKING LEE IS AN OLYMPIC CHAMPION!!! words cannot describe how proud i am of this girl, love you so much @sunisalee_ pic.twitter.com/pspSMuOokO
— morgan hurd (@morgihurd) July 29, 2021
She did it. @sunisalee_ just won 🥇 gold in the all around! I literally can’t stop crying! All the sacrifice a refugee family had to endure to put you on that podium and now the world has a chance to know who we are. So proud to be Hmong American today! 😭❤️💯🇺🇸#madebyrefugees pic.twitter.com/OhkmI1aiBF
— Tara Vang, MPH (@taravang) July 29, 2021
all rise for queen sunisa lee, our olympic champion pic.twitter.com/h66OqpquFW
— kirsty 🌙 (@wolfturns) July 29, 2021
Sunisa Lee will get to change her Instagram bio soon AS SHE SHOULD😭❤️🥇🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/yQo1v70eUw
— Em (@emwatchesgym) July 29, 2021
This. This right here. 🥲 @sunisalee_ x #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/248VnPtnK3
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 29, 2021
Sunisa Lee is the first Asian-American Olympic all-around champion…and first individual Asian-American Olympic champion in general! Making the Hmong community SO PROUD.
Lee is also the sixth U.S. Olympic all-around champion. The U.S. has won every all-around gold since 2004.
— The Gymternet (@thegymterdotnet) July 29, 2021
“BREAKING: Sunisa Lee became the fifth straight American woman to claim the Olympic title in the gymnastics all-around competition.”
There, I fixed the headline for you. https://t.co/a8CnzFfyNZ
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) July 29, 2021
So proud of Minnesota’s own @sunisalee_ taking it home! Grace under pressure. Remarkable. 🏅
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) July 29, 2021
This quad started with Morgan Hurd becoming the first Asian American World AA Champion and will end with Sunisa Lee becoming the first Asian American Olympic AA Champion.
— Dillon | SUNI LEE OLYMPIC AA CHAMP (@wutswongwithyou) July 29, 2021
So happy for Sunisa Lee for bringing home the gold! Can’t wait to pick up my kids from school so we can all watch the video of an incredible Asian American champion making our country proud. Congrats to @sunisalee_ and her inspiring family pic.twitter.com/BIASYHbpH8
— Andy Kim (@AndyKimNJ) July 29, 2021
NEW: Sunisa Lee is the first Hmong American to compete in the #Olympics. She just won a gold medal in the women’s gymnastics all-around event. pic.twitter.com/kKCYqEG4zf
— Vox (@voxdotcom) July 29, 2021
YES! Sunisa Lee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Shout out to all the Hmong Americans who must be feeling this victory deeply.
I celebrate with you! 😻
Let’s all make sure Sunisa knows she is embraced for her humanity and that being a champion is just a bonus.
— The Disordered Cosmos by Chanda Prescod-Weinstein (@IBJIYONGI) July 29, 2021
(image: Jamie Squire/Getty)
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