Suni Lee Had a Beam and a Dream
By Kelli Luu | 27 Sep, 2025

Suni Lee’s humble beginnings guided her through her golden journey that has inspired millions of Asian athletes around the world.

Suni Lee’s dreams were built on a wooden beam in her backyard and that very beam led her to become one of the most inspiring Asian American athletes of this generation. 

She was born in 2003 in Saint Paul, Minnesota to Hmong immigrants who always sacrificed everything to make sure their children had opportunities. Ever since she was little, Lee knew that gymnastics was not just a hobby for her. She practiced for hours every day on a balance beam her father crafted for her and when she was just six years old, she joined Midwest Gymnastics Centre in Little Canada, Minnesota. From there her natural talent quickly began to shine. 

Lee was splitting her time between school work and hours of gymnastics training. At her second competition she easily stood out in an all-around state meet and when she was 11, she qualified for a program which would allow her to represent the United States in global competitions. After earning a spot on the U.S. Junior National Team, Lee made her debut at the 2019 City of Jesolo Trophy in Italy where she helped USA win gold and won the all-around title. 

At the Tokyo Olympics, Suni Lee was a major player for Team USA alongside gymnastics star Simone Biles. Here, she made her mark as the first Asian American woman to win gold in the women’s all-around event and took home additional silver and bronze medals. 

Suni Lee completely amazed the world with her grace and undeniable talent and later took her star power to Auburn University. While balancing college classes, sponsorships, and non-stop training, Lee became an NCAA beam champion and earned eight All-American honors in 2022 from her freshman season at Auburn.  

In 2023 Lee’s journey took an unexpected turn when she announced that she’ll be stepping away from gymnastics due to kidney-related health conditions. A difficult decision, but prioritizing her health was necessary since she was looking forward to competing in the next Olympic cycle. 

Suni regained her strength and her performance during the 2024 trials secured her return to the Paris Olympics where she yet again played a huge role in Team USA’s gold medal win. 

Now at 22 years old Suni Lee has packed up her things and moved to the Big Apple with dreams of pursuing fashion. She is currently not getting ready for the 2028 Olympics and is instead enjoying her life beyond gymnastics. Even off the gym mats, Lee continued to be a cultural icon with magazine features, red carpet walks, and an appearance on Dancing with the Stars. 

That homemade wooden beam in her backyard took Suni Lee to heights she always dreamed of. Even though her days of competing are behind her, Lee’s legacy has truly been cemented as one of the most decorated Asian athletes and she continues to be a shining role model for young girls everywhere.