Tokyo Olympics: Suni Lee joins Simone Biles in gymnastic's all-around competition

Suni Lee on the uneven bars in Tokyo.

The first Hmong American Olympian qualified for the individual all-around competition in women's gymnastics at the Tokyo Olympics.

Sunisa Lee, of St. Paul, Minnesota was among the bright spots for the U.S. at the Olympics gymnastics arena in Tokyo. She will be joining Simone Biles, the world's No. 1 gymnast and compete in all five events for the crown of best gymnast.

After Biles, it was a battle between Lee and Jade Carey to determine who would join Biles in the all-around. Each nation can only enter two women. It wasn't decided until the balance beam, the final event when Lee scored higher than Carey.

The U.S. women were not at their best in the team qualifying round. Superstar Biles, especially, was not her usual other worldly self, particularly in her landings in the vault, balance beam and uneven bars where she had to take extra steps. 

As a result, the Russian women scored higher than the Americans, who up until yesterday were considered a lock for th gold medal.

Sunday's qualifying scores do not carry over to Tuesday when the team scores will count and the women's team was subdued coming off the floor. 

"Obviously, there are little things we need to work on,'' Biles said. "We'll go back and practice and work on that, so we can do our best performance at team finals. That's what matters.''

Lee said the competition was "most nerve-wracking" that she's been in. Nerves may have been part of the reason the U.S. did not perform up to their own standards. The other reason was that the Americans held back some of their best routines while the Russians upped their game.

Lee also qualified for the balance beam and uneven bars event finals.

Lee is the first Hmong American to represent the U.S. in the Olympics. It "means a lot to the Hmong community ... and to just be an inspiration to other Hmong people (means) a lot to me too," she stold the Sahan Journal.

SCREEN CAPTURE / NBC

Suni Lee's family cheered her performance from their home in St. Paul, Minn.