Sunisa “Suni” Lee (born March 9, 2003) is an American artistic gymnast who has emerged as one of the most acclaimed and motivational personas in U.S. gymnastics history. She is the 2020 Olympic all-around gold medal winner and uneven bars bronze medalist, as well as the 2024 Olympic all-around bronze medalist and uneven bars bronze medalist. Lee played a vital role in the U.S. women’s squads that captured gold at the 2019 World Championships, silver at the 2020 Olympics (Tokyo 2021), and gold once more at the 2024 Paris Olympics, placing her among the “Golden Girls” of that legendary team.
Additionally, she is the 2019 World floor exercise silver medalist and uneven bars bronze medalist, a two-time U.S. national uneven bars champion, and the very first Hmong-American Olympian. Lee made history as the inaugural Asian American woman and the first woman of Hmong descent to secure the Olympic all-around title in 2021. Following a triumphant freshman year at Auburn University (where she clinched an NCAA balance beam title and an SEC uneven bars title), she returned to elite gymnastics and competed despite a rare kidney disease diagnosis, ultimately earning medals once more at the 2024 Olympics.
Here is a brief overview of key details about Sunisa Lee:
| Full Name | Sunisa Phabsomphou Lee (known as Suni Lee) |
| Date of Birth | March 9, 2003 |
| Age (as of January 2026) | 22 years old |
| Ethnicity | Hmong (Lao-Hmong descent through her mother) |
| Height | 4 feet 11 inches (1.50 m) |
| Weight | Approximately 99–108 lbs (45–49 kg) during elite competition |
| Father | John Lee (adoptive/stepfather); biological father not publicly engaged |
| Most Famous For | 2020 Olympic all-around gold medalist; first Hmong-American and Asian American woman to earn Olympic all-around |
| Current Status | Retired from full-time elite gymnastics after the 2024 Olympics; concentrating on health, endorsements, and public speaking |
Sunisa Lee Ethnicity
Sunisa Lee is of Hmong ethnicity. Her mother, Yeev Thoj, is a Hmong refugee who arrived in the United States from Laos as a child. The Hmong are an ethnic group originally from the hilly regions of southern China, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand, possessing a unique language, culture, and history of perseverance through centuries of migration and hardship. Suni is the first Hmong-American athlete to participate in the Olympics and the first Hmong individual to win an Olympic gold medal across any sport.
Her achievements have been widely acknowledged in the Hmong community throughout the United States (especially in Minnesota, where the largest Hmong population in the country resides) and the broader Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Lee has expressed the pride she experiences in representing her ancestry, particularly as an inspiration for young Hmong girls and Asian American youth in gymnastics and beyond. She has also leveraged her platform to raise awareness about Hmong culture, history, and challenges faced by immigrant and refugee families.
Sunisa Lee Bio
Sunisa “Suni” Lee was welcomed into the world on March 9, 2003, in Saint Paul, Minnesota, to a Hmong-American family. Her mother, Yeev Thoj, worked in healthcare and immigrated to the U.S. as a child refugee from Laos. Suni was mainly raised by her mother’s longtime partner, John Lee, whom she regards as her father and who began coaching her in gymnastics at an early age. John crafted a homemade balance beam from a mattress when Suni was six after she began doing backflips in the yard. She started formal training at Midwest Gymnastics Centre in Little Canada, Minnesota, under coach Punnarith Koy, and later transitioned to coach Jess Graba, who has guided her elite journey ever since.
Suni displayed early potential and flourished rapidly through the ranks. In 2016, she achieved junior elite status, and in 2017, she became part of the U.S. junior national team. Following her senior international debut in 2019, she quickly gained recognition, earning silver on floor and bronze on uneven bars at that year’s World Championships and contributing to the U.S. winning team gold. At the 2020 Olympics, held in 2021 due to COVID-19, Suni clinched the all-around gold and uneven bars bronze, becoming the first Hmong-American and first Asian American woman to secure the Olympic all-around title. She also aided the U.S. team’s silver.
More
Subsequent to the Olympics, Suni enrolled at Auburn University, where she competed at the collegiate level from 2021–2023, securing NCAA balance beam and SEC uneven bars titles. In March 2023, she was diagnosed with two rare kidney ailments (one incurable), which compelled her to conclude her sophomore NCAA season prematurely and step back from elite gymnastics. She made a comeback in 2024, earning medals at the U.S. Championships and finishing second at Olympic Trials to earn a berth on the 2024 Paris Olympic team. In Paris, she contributed to the U.S. winning team gold, seized individual all-around bronze, and captured uneven bars bronze, becoming the first reigning Olympic all-around champion since Nadia Comăneci (1980) to medal again in the event at the subsequent Games.
Suni has evolved into a global symbol of resilience, cultural representation, and triumph over adversity. She has garnered significant accolades, including Sports Illustrated Female Athlete of the Year (2021), Women’s Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year (2021), Time 100 (2021), Asia Game Changer Award (2021), and the ESPY for Best Comeback Athlete (2025).
Updates
As of January 2026, Suni Lee is entirely retired from competitive elite gymnastics following the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she won three medals (team gold, all-around bronze, uneven bars bronze). She has redirected her focus towards health recovery after her 2023 kidney disease diagnosis, along with public speaking, endorsements, and advocacy. Recent highlights include:
- Participating in the 2025 Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show alongside WNBA star Angel Reese (the first major athlete to model at this event).
- Initiating collaborations with brands such as Lululemon (October 2024), HOKA (January 2025), Tatcha (June 2025), SKIMS Team USA collection (June 2024), KISS nails, and others.
- Being featured in the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
- Receiving the 2025 ESPY Award for Best Comeback Athlete and inviting her doctor, Dr. Marcia Faustin, as her guest.
- Continuing advocacy for Hmong representation, Asian American visibility, kidney health, and mental health awareness.
Suni has yet to announce intentions for a gymnastics return or NCAA re-entry. She remains active on social media (@sunisalee on Instagram), sharing fitness, fashion, and personal updates. She resides in Minnesota and Los Angeles, concentrating on family, friends, and brand partnerships.
Age
Sunisa Lee entered the world on March 9, 2003. As of January 2026, she is 22 years old.
Father
Sunisa Lee’s paternal figure is John Lee, her mother’s longtime partner, who has been raising her since she was two and is widely regarded as her dad. John is of Hmong descent and held various jobs while supporting Suni’s gymnastics career. He constructed her initial homemade balance beam and has consistently been present at competitions, training sessions, and significant events.
Suni has publicly referred to John as her father and attributes much of her success and stability to him. Her biological father does not play a public role in her life or career, and Suni has not elaborated on him. John Lee continues to be a supportive influence in her life as of early 2026.
Height
Sunisa Lee measures 4 feet 11 inches (1.50 meters) in height.
Weight
Throughout her elite gymnastics journey, Sunisa Lee’s competition weight was noted as 99–108 pounds (45–49 kg), varying with training, recovery from injuries, and health. Following her 2023 kidney diagnosis and retirement from elite competition, her weight has not been disclosed publicly. As of early 2026, she maintains a healthy, athletic figure focused on wellness rather than meeting competitive standards.
Olympics
Sunisa Lee has participated in two Olympic Games:
2020 Tokyo Olympics (held in 2021):
- Team: Silver medal (U.S. women’s team)
- All-Around: Gold medal (first Hmong-American and first Asian American woman to win Olympic all-around)
- Uneven Bars: Bronze medal
- Became the sixth U.S. woman to earn Olympic all-around gold (after Retton, Patterson, Liukin, Douglas, Biles)
2024 Paris Olympics:
- Team: Gold medal (U.S. women’s team – the “Golden Girls”)
- All-Around: Bronze medal (first reigning champion since Comăneci in 1980 to medal again in all-around)
- Uneven Bars: Bronze medal
- Assisted the U.S. in reclaiming the team gold following the 2020 silver
Suni ranks as one of the most decorated U.S. female gymnasts with nine combined World and Olympic medals. Following Paris 2024, she retired from elite competition to prioritize health and personal life. Her Olympic successes have established her as a role model for Hmong youth, Asian Americans, and aspiring gymnasts around the globe.
