Introduction: A Champion’s Journey

Sunisa Lee has not only cemented her place among the all-time greats of women’s artistic gymnastics but has also redefined what it means to be a champion in the modern era. From her historic all-around gold at the Tokyo Olympics to her standout performances at the U.S. National Championships and her transformative years in NCAA gymnastics, her career is a masterclass in perseverance, artistry, and athletic excellence. For Suni, as she is affectionately known by fans and teammates, the journey is defined not just by medals but by the moments that shaped her—the routines she loved, the obstacles she overcame, and the dreams she continues to chase. In this article, we dive deep into Sunisa Lee’s favorite moments from her gymnastics career so far, offering an expanded look at the experiences that have made her a role model for the next generation, not only in the United States but around the world.

Gold Medal at the Tokyo Olympics: A Historic Triumph

Without question, Sunisa Lee’s crowning achievement—and likely her most cherished moment—was winning the all-around gold medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Competing under immense pressure after Simone Biles withdrew to focus on her mental health, Suni delivered four near-flawless routines on July 29, 2021, posting a total of 57.433 points. She became the first American to win the Olympic all-around title since Gabby Douglas in 2012 and the first Hmong-American to earn any Olympic medal. For Suni, the moment was surreal: “I still can't believe it,” she told Olympics.com shortly after her victory. “I’ve dreamed about this since I was little, and to have it actually happen is amazing.”

The night itself was a whirlwind of emotion and focus. She started on vault with a solid Amanar (15.200), then moved to uneven bars where she scored a 15.300, a routine that included the release move later named the Lee. On balance beam she earned a 14.600, showcasing her signature elegance and near-perfect execution. Her floor exercise, with a double-twisting double back as her opening pass, sealed the gold with a 14.200. The victory lap with the American flag draped over her shoulders remains one of the defining images of the Tokyo Games—a moment of pure joy and relief. For Suni, the gold not only fulfilled a personal goal but also inspired countless young athletes, especially within the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, proving that representation matters at the highest level.

The Team Silver: A Shared Bond

While the all-around gold was the highlight, Suni also treasures the silver medal she earned as part of the U.S. women’s team. Despite the unexpected pressure of competing without Biles in the team final, Lee stepped up on vault, bars, beam, and floor, delivering consistent routines that helped the U.S. secure a podium finish. She scored 14.400 on vault, 15.200 on bars, 14.400 on beam, and 13.700 on floor—a total personal contribution of 57.700 points across the two sessions. The experience taught her the value of teamwork and resilience. “We leaned on each other,” she later reflected in an interview with ESPN. “That silver medal means just as much to me as the gold because of how we got there together.” The bond she forged with teammates like Jordan Chiles, Grace McCallum, and Simone Biles in that moment continues to resonate in her career today.

Winning the U.S. National Championships

Another hallmark moment in Sunisa Lee’s career was her victory at the 2019 U.S. National Championships, where she not only won the all-around title with a combined score of 118.100 but also set a new bar for excellence on uneven bars. Her score of 15.650 on bars—the highest of the competition—featured a release move that would later bear her name: the Lee, a Nabieva-style transition with a half-turn. This performance cemented her as a rising star and gave her the confidence to aim for Olympic gold. “Winning nationals was a huge milestone,” she said in a 2021 profile by USA Gymnastics. “It proved to me that I could compete with the best in the country and come out on top.”

The victory was especially sweet because it came after a difficult 2018 season where she battled a growth spurt and related technical challenges. She had struggled to adjust to her taller frame, losing some of her previous consistency. Under the patient guidance of coach Jess Graba, Suni rebuilt her technique from the ground up. Her comeback to win the 2019 title was a testament to her work ethic and mental toughness. Suni would go on to win the all-around at the 2021 U.S. Championships as well, scoring a combined 118.350, further solidifying her dominance before the Olympics. That second national title, won just months before Tokyo, erased any doubts about her readiness for the Games.

Becoming a Four-Time National Medalist

Beyond her two all-around titles, Suni has collected medals on every event at the national level. Her uneven bars and balance beam routines have consistently ranked among the best in the U.S., earning her gold on bars in 2019 (15.650) and silver on beam in 2021 (14.750). She also earned bronze on vault at the 2021 nationals and silver on floor in 2019. Each national medal represents a moment of validation—a reminder of the countless hours in the gym perfecting her craft. For Suni, the journey through national competitions taught her how to handle pressure and perform under the brightest lights, essential skills she would later apply on the Olympic stage.

Favorite Skills and Routines: The Artistry of Suni

Sunisa Lee’s gymnastics is defined by a blend of power and grace, and she has often spoken about her favorite skills and routines. On uneven bars, her signature combination of a Nabieva (a release move with a half-turn) directly into a Pak salto is a crowd favorite, a sequence that requires immense trust in her timing and grip. “I love bars because I feel like I can be really creative,” she shared in a behind-the-scenes feature with NBC Olympics. “The Lee is special to me because it’s my own skill—it’s a part of who I am.” The Lee, officially a Nabieva with a half-turn, was first performed at the 2019 World Championships and later recognized in the Code of Points.

On balance beam, her free aerial walkover to back handspring combination showcases her flexibility and control, earning her some of the highest artistry scores in the world. She also has a unique beam dismount: a double pike, which she performs with remarkable height and stability—a skill that she first competed at the 2021 Olympics and later adapted for NCAA. Floor exercise has been an evolving passion; her 2021 floor routine, set to a mix of Latin-inspired music, allowed her to express her personality through dance. “I used to be shy about floor, but now it’s one of my favorite events because I can let loose and have fun,” she said during a press conference at the 2021 World Championships. That routine scored as high as 14.200 at the Olympics and became one of the most-watched performances of the Games.

Signature Skills That Defined Her Career

  • The Lee (uneven bars): A Nabieva with a half-turn, now named in her honor after she performed it at the 2019 World Championships. It requires immense strength and timing, combining a release from the high bar with a half twist before catching the same bar.
  • Switch leap to ring jump (balance beam): A rare combination that earned her high artistry scores in Tokyo. The transition from a switch leap directly into a ring jump requires perfect flexibility and balance.
  • Double-twisting double back (floor exercise): Her opening pass in recent routines, demonstrating elite power. She lands this with near-stuck landings, a skill that few female gymnasts worldwide can perform consistently.
  • Double pike beam dismount: A difficult dismount that she uses to add difficulty while maintaining control. It’s a skill she developed with Graba during the pandemic shutdown.

Each of these skills represents a moment Suni loves to revisit—not just because of the difficulty, but because they allowed her to showcase her unique style. “When I’m in the air, I feel free,” she told Team USA in a video series. “That feeling is what I love most about gymnastics.”

Overcoming Challenges: The Comeback After Tokyo

One of Sunisa Lee’s favorite moments doesn’t involve a medal ceremony, but rather the resilience she showed after a severe ankle injury in 2021. Following her Olympic success, she enrolled at Auburn University to compete in NCAA gymnastics. During her freshman season, she suffered a torn labrum in her hip and a broken ankle—injuries that would have ended many careers. Yet Suni fought through pain, rehab, and setbacks to return for the 2023 season, where she helped Auburn reach the NCAA finals and earned All-American honors on bars and beam. The road back was long: she underwent surgery on her ankle, spent months in physical therapy, and had to rebuild her difficult skills from scratch. “The toughest moments are sometimes the most rewarding,” she wrote in a social media post after her first competition back. “I’m proud of myself for not giving up.”

That comeback culminated in a viral performance on beam at the 2023 NCAA Championships, where she scored a 9.950 despite lingering pain. The routine included a hit series of connections and a stuck landing that sent the Auburn crowd into a frenzy. For Suni, the applause from the Auburn crowd and the support of her teammates made that moment unforgettable. She also credits the mental health resources at Auburn—including access to sports psychologists—with helping her navigate the pressures of combining elite and college gymnastics.

The Support System That Got Her Through

Sunisa has often credited her family—especially her parents, Yeev Thoj and John Lee—and her coaches for helping her navigate injuries. Her father, who was paralyzed from the chest down in a fall in 2019, has been a constant source of inspiration. “My dad taught me what it means to be strong,” she said in a moving ESPN feature. “He doesn’t let anything stop him, so neither should I.” Her mother, Yeev, has been her rock, traveling to every meet and providing emotional support. Coach Jess Graba, who has worked with Suni since she was a junior elite, tailored her training to accommodate her injuries, emphasizing quality over quantity. This support system turned challenging periods into moments of growth that Suni now looks back on with pride, knowing she came out stronger on the other side.

NCAA Triumphs: A Different Kind of Favorite

While Olympic glory is peak achievement, Sunisa Lee’s NCAA career has given her many cherished memories that are unique to the college environment. She cites her first college meet—a quad meet against Alabama, Kentucky, and North Carolina—as a standout moment. “Walking into Neville Arena with my teammates and feeling the energy of the crowd was electric,” she recalled. In that debut, she scored a perfect 10 on balance beam, becoming the first gymnast to earn a 10 in Auburn’s season opener. That routine was not just a score; it was a statement that she could dominate at the college level while juggling academics and a rigorous training schedule. She finished the 2022 season with six perfect 10s across bars and beam.

Another unforgettable moment came at the 2023 SEC Championships, where she anchored Auburn to a second-place finish with a 9.975 on floor. The routine went viral on social media, with fans praising her artistry and power. For Suni, performing in front of a home crowd and hearing the “War Eagle” chant is a feeling she says she’ll never forget. She also treasures the friendships she built at Auburn—especially with teammates like Derrian Gobourne, who became a close confidante. “College gymnastics is so different from elite—it’s about team, about joy, about lifting each other up,” she told NCAA.com. “That sense of community makes every meet special.” Her final home meet at Auburn in 2023, where she was honored with a tribute video and a standing ovation, remains one of the most emotional moments of her career.

Representation and Inspiration: Moments Beyond the Gym

For Sunisa Lee, some of her favorite moments extend far beyond competition floors. She has become a powerful advocate for Asian American visibility and mental health awareness. One particularly memorable experience was meeting young Hmong-American fans at community events in St. Paul, Minnesota, after the Olympics. The Hmong community, which has deep roots in the Twin Cities, embraced her as a trailblazer. “Seeing little girls with medals around their necks because they wanted to be like me—that’s when I realized the impact I can have,” she said in an interview with NBC News. She has since worked with Hmong organizations to bring gymnastics clinics to underserved areas, making the sport more accessible.

She has also used her platform to speak openly about the mental health struggles that accompany elite sport, particularly after the Tokyo Games. In 2022, she partnered with the Anxiety and Depression Association of America to promote resources for young athletes. She has shared her own experiences with performance anxiety and the pressure to live up to the gold medal standard. For Suni, being able to help others feel less alone is a victory in itself. “I want people to know that it’s okay to not be okay,” she said during a Mental Health Awareness Month event. “That’s a moment I’ll always cherish—when someone tells me I helped them.” She also serves as a role model for Hmong girls who see themselves in her success, breaking barriers in a sport historically dominated by White athletes.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Sunisa Lee

As Sunisa Lee sets her sights on the Paris 2024 Olympics, she is excited about the opportunities ahead. After taking a break from elite gymnastics to recover fully from her injuries and complete her degree at Auburn, she has begun training for a possible comeback to the national team. She has been working with coach Jess Graba to add new skills to her repertoire, including an upgraded bar release—a Tkatchev with a half-turn—and a more difficult beam mount involving a layout stepout. Her goals include qualifying for the World Championships and potentially competing in a second Olympic Games. “I’m not done yet,” she stated confidently during a press conference in early 2024. “I have more I want to achieve, more routines I want to perfect, more moments that I want to create.”

She has also expressed interest in a potential coaching career or broadcasting role after her competitive days are over. She has already taken part in commentary for the 2023 World Championships, showing a natural ability to break down routines. But for now, the focus is on gradual, smart training. She is balancing her elite aspirations with her final coursework at Auburn, where she will graduate with a degree in pre-medical sciences or a related field. The journey forward is built on lessons from the past. “Every favorite moment so far has taught me something,” Suni said. “The hard ones, the happy ones—they all point to where I’m going.”

What’s Next for Suni’s Legacy

Whether or not she adds more Olympic medals to her collection in Paris, Sunisa Lee’s legacy is already secure. She has inspired a generation of athletes to embrace their culture, speak up for mental health, and pursue excellence with grace. Her favorite moments are not just those captured in photographs under the Olympic rings, but also the quiet victories—the first improvement after injury, a perfect practice rotation, a thank-you note from a fan. She famously keeps a folder of fan letters in her room, a tangible reminder of the lives she has touched. As she prepares for the next chapter, Suni’s story continues to evolve, proving that a champion is defined not only by the medals she wins but by the moments she makes meaningful for others. Her journey is far from over, and the world will be watching every step.

“I’ve had so many moments I never want to forget,” Sunisa Lee reflected. “And I know there are so many more to come.”