Suni Lee wins gold today as the 18-year-old Minnesota native lived her best life today showing judges and the world her world-class talent as she took home the Olympic gold medal for Team USA in the artistic gymnastics women’s all-around final.
Rebeca Andrade of Brazil won silver and Angelina Melnikova of Russia won the bronze.
I know some criticized Simone Biles (the 2016 Olympic all-around champion) for stepping out of the event for mental health reasons, but this is where Biles showed her greatness. She trusted her teammate, Suni Lee. She knew the talent and grit that Lee possessed.
As a true champion, Biles recognized the champion in Lee. #Greatness
It’s worth noting that on Tuesday, at the team finals, Lee chose to perform her hardest uneven bars routine — the most difficult in the world — instead of the easier one she had planned. After Biles pulled out, Lee knew the team needed every tenth of a point to win a medal. Result? Her 15.4 points on bars was the highest score of the night.
Lee becomes the fifth straight American woman to win the women’s all-around Olympic gold, continuing a winning streak for Team USA started in 2004 by Carly Patterson.
Since then, Nastia Liukin, Gabby Douglas and Biles have all followed suit.
The moment Suni Lee learned she'd won Olympic gold 🥇❤️ pic.twitter.com/U0lvpblPm0
— ESPN (@espn) July 29, 2021
SUNI LEE!! The moment where it hits that you’ve won Olympic gold in the all-around. pic.twitter.com/Zf17lA44Yj
— Sarah Lerner (@SarahLerner) July 29, 2021
Suni Lee. Olympic All-Around Champion.
Congratulations on your performance today, joining the historic list of American champions!
🇺🇸 Mary Lou Retton (1984)
🇺🇸 Carly Patterson (2004)
🇺🇸 Nastia Liukin (2008)
🇺🇸 Gabrielle Douglas (2012)
🇺🇸 Simone Biles (2016)
🇺🇸 SUNI LEE (2020) pic.twitter.com/PpOPuiM9pj— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 29, 2021
Correct me if I'm wrong, but Suni Lee is not only the 1st Hmong American Olympic gold medalist(!) but also the 1st Asian American to ever win gold in the all-around.
What a moment. https://t.co/zxLS6TacK8
— Shawna Chen (@shawnarchen) 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
— Gia Vang (@Gia_Vang) July 29, 2021
😭 SIMONE’S REACTION TO SUNI’S GOLD 🥇
(🎥: @Simone_Biles)#Tokyo2020 #Olympics #Suni #SunisaLee #SimoneBiles #TeamUSA #Gold pic.twitter.com/9KNrbAhFxR
— Gymnastics Now (@Gymnastics_Now) July 29, 2021