Sunisa Lee

Sunisa Lee (18 years old) placed 1st in the Tokyo women’s individual all-around competition, continuing the winning streak of the United States since Athens 2004. She is the first women’s individual all-around champion of Asian descent, the first Asian-American individual Olympic champion in women’s artistic gymnastics. Sunisa Lee also known as Suni Lee became the first Hmong American to compete and win a Gold medal in an Olympics sport. Sunisa also took home a bronze medal for women’s uneven bars and a silver for artistic team all-around.

Suni Lee began gymnastics in 2009 as she thought that it was fun, and she loved to do the flips. Her professional career began soon after that. Suni Lee, daughter of John Lee and Yeev Thoj, Lee was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota located in the United States of America. She is known to have five siblings named Jonah, Evionn, Lucky, Noah, and Shyenne. As a student, she attended the South Saint Paul secondary school from where she also completed her high school education in the year 2021.

The Fresno Center is proud to congratulate Suni Lee for her accomplishment. Suni’s story is the American Story of refugees and immigrants who made the United States their home. As mentioned by former Mayor of Elk Grove, Steve Ly “She is the daughter of refugees from the Secret War of Laos. This is an American story of refugees who came here because of a war but turned this into gold. This is just not about the Hmong but it’s about all Americans. She is the daughter of all who came to these shores to make a better life for themselves.”

“Suni is becoming an inspiration to Fresno the second largest Hmong community in the country, and home to the largest Hmong New Year gathering in the country. We recognize her hard work, tenacity, and passion, showing dreams do come true if you work hard enough,” says Pao Yang, President & CEO The Fresno Center.

St. Paul celebrated its own Sunisa Lee with a parade Sunday afternoon.

(Below you can watch the full parade stream courtesy of KARE 11)