Who are Suni Lee Parents? Who is Suni Lee?
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Updated Aug 01, 2024
Who are Suni Lee Parents?
Suni Lee's biological mother is Yeev Thoj, who works in healthcare. Her mother, of Hmong descent, fled Laos as a child and came to the United States. Suni was brought up by her mother's long-term partner, John Lee, whom she regards as her father. She started using his last name when she was a teenager. Suni has three half-siblings from her mother's relationship with John, and John also has two children from a prior relationship. Her sister Evionn competed in regional artistic gymnastics. Suni has a total of six siblings: Shyenne, Evionn, Noah, Lucky, and Jonah.
Who is Suni Lee?
Suni Lee is an American artistic gymnast. She won the all-around gold medal and a bronze medal on uneven bars at the 2020 Olympics. In 2019, she won a silver medal in the floor exercise and a bronze medal on uneven bars at the world championships. She was part of the U.S. teams that won gold at the 2019 World Championships and silver at the 2020 Olympics. She also helped the U.S. team win gold at the 2024 Olympics. Suni is the first Hmong-American Olympian and the first Asian American woman to win the Olympic all-around title. She has six world championship and Olympic medals. In 2021, she was honored by Sports Illustrated, the Women's Sports Foundation, and Time magazine.
Specification |
Details |
---|---|
Name | Suni Lee |
Country Represented | United States |
Born | March 9, 2003 (age 21) |
Birthplace | Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. |
Training Location | Little Canada, Minnesota |
Height | 5 ft 0 in (152 cm) |
Discipline | Women's Artistic Gymnastics |
Level | Senior International Elite |
Years on National Team | 2016–2021, 2024–present (USA) |
Club | Midwest Gymnastics Center |
College Team | Auburn Tigers (2022–2023) |
Head Coach(es) | Jess Graba |
Assistant Coach(es) | Alison Lim |
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Suni Lee Early Life
Suni Lee became interested in gymnastics at age six after watching Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson on YouTube. Her father built a balance beam for her from a mattress, and when she started doing backflips outside, her parents realized she needed proper training. They enrolled her in gymnastics classes at Midwest Gymnastics Center in Little Canada, Minnesota, where she began training with coach Punnarith Koy. The next year, she won the all-around at a state meet, her second competition. At age eight, she advanced three levels, and by age 11, she qualified for elite gymnastics. Koy coached her until she was about twelve, after which Jess Graba became her coach.
Suni Lee Career
Suni Lee competed in the Hopes division in 2015 and became a junior elite in 2016. She joined the junior national team in 2017 and won gold with the U.S. team at the Gymnix International Junior Cup, earning silver on uneven bars. In 2018, she won multiple medals at the Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships and finished fifth in the all-around at the U.S. Classic. At the 2018 U.S. Championships, she won gold on uneven bars and placed third in the all-around.
She made her senior international debut in 2019 at the City of Jesolo Trophy in Italy, where she won the all-around title and gold with the U.S. team. Despite injuries, she finished second in the all-around at the 2019 U.S. Championships and won gold on uneven bars. At the 2019 World Championships, she helped the U.S. team win gold and earned a bronze medal on uneven bars and silver on floor exercise. She was the only first-year senior on the U.S. team for the championships.
In early 2021, Suni Lee faced setbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic and injuries, but she returned to competition, winning medals at the Winter Cup and American Classic. At the U.S. Championships, she earned silver in the all-around behind Simone Biles. At the 2021 Olympic Trials, she secured her spot on the U.S. Olympic team. At the Tokyo Olympics, she won gold in the individual all-around and contributed to the U.S. team's silver medal. Later, she enrolled at Auburn University to compete in NCAA gymnastics.
Suni Lee made her NCAA debut for Auburn in January 2022, winning several titles and earning perfect scores. She announced in November 2022 that she would leave NCAA gymnastics to aim for the 2024 Olympics. In 2023, she returned to elite gymnastics but faced kidney health issues. By 2024, she competed successfully, earning a spot on the U.S. Olympic team and helping the team win gold in the team final.
Suni Lee Boyfriend
Suni Lee's boyfriend, Jaylin, is a senior at the University of Southern California and plays football as a cornerback for the Trojans. He previously played at Bishop Alemany High School and was featured on Snoop Dogg's Netflix series, "Coach Snoop." Jaylin's mom passed away in a hit-and-run when he was young. Suni and Jaylin started dating around December 2021, but keep their relationship private. Despite deleting some public posts, they support each other on social media. Jaylin recently shared photos in an Indianapolis Colts uniform, with Suni expressing her pride in the comments.
Suni Lee Net Worth
Suni Lee Net Worth is $3 million. Her primary sources of income include endorsements and sponsorships from brands like Red Bull, Amazon, and Target. She also earns money through her gymnastics career, including prize money and professional appearances. Additionally, she has income from social media partnerships and promotional activities.
Suni Lee Age
Suni Lee was born on March 9, 2003 in Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. As of 2024, she is 21 years old.