'Sports Illustrated' names Hmong American Suni Lee Female as Athlete of the Year

SUNI LEE

Olympic gold medal winner Suni Lee was named Female Athlete of the Year by Sports Illustrated. She is the first Hmong American to win that honor.

“Thank you to everyone who has supported me along this journey. I hope to be an example to those who have a passion for something, but don’t always have the tools and support system needed to do so,” she wrote on Instagram after the awards ceremony Tuesday.

She repeated a portion of her thank you speech when she was handed the award: “Remember you don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great. This year has been a dream come true and it’s just the beginning.”

The University of Auburn first-year student won three medals at the Tokyo Olympics over the summer, including an individual gold medal for her all-around competition. She also won a silver medal for Team competition and a bronze for the uneven bars.

She stepped up to the challenge after star gymnast and team leader Simone Biles withdrew from the competition as she struggled with her mental health.

Lee, who is a first-generation Hmong American, has spoken about her connection with her culture and community. In an interview with People magazine in July, she said becoming the first Hmong American Olympic gymnast “means a lot to the Hmong community ... and to just be an inspiration to other Hmong people [means] a lot to me too.”

Last month, Lee said she had been a victim of anti-Asian violence. In Los Angeles, standing on a sidewalk with friends, she said a car drove by with people in it shouting racial slurs at Lee, and one person pepper-sprayed her arm as the car sped away.

Fellow Olympian, swimmer Caeleb Dressler, was named Male Athlete of the Year.