Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee surprised with bronze bust of herself in Phalen Regional Park
ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Minnesota superstar was honored in a big way Sunday morning in her hometown.
St. Paul Parks and Recreation surprised Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee with a statue of herself at Phalen Regional Park.
"I'm so excited and I'm super happy. I love it. It's beautiful," said Suni, who was thrilled to bring home "bronze" this time.
Suni was the first Hmong American to win an Olympic gold medal, and now she'll be the first female athlete to ever be commemorated in a St. Paul Park.
"It's just such an amazing community that I'm so grateful to be a part of," Suni said.
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This bust marks the time in history when Lee took home the gold for the Women's All-Around in Gymnastics in Tokyo in 2021.
"This is our gift to you," said Seexeng Lee, the artist of the bust, who is also related to Suni.
It took him less than a year to design, mold and then create a statue to stand permanently along Lake Phalen.
"I worked this hard because it's totally worth working hard for," Seexeng said.
Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan was also on hand to proclaim July 30th "Sunisa Lee" Day in the state of Minnesota.
"I hope to be an inspiration and an advocate for the next generations and other amazing athletes," Suni said.
She certainly is an inspiration. Suni stuck around Phalen Regional Park after the ceremony to meet her fans and sign autographs, including signing a T-shirt for 9-year-old gymnast Emma Nguyen.
"She taught me to never give up, believe in myself," said Nguyen, who hopes to follow in Suni's footsteps. "I might as well make it to the Olympics, too."
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Suni inspires beyond the sport of gymnastics. These young fans say her journey to get the gold serves as a life lesson.
"To never give up on your dreams and that it may seem impossible but you just got to keep fighting for it," said Katie Bierscheid, a fan of Suni who got her autograph on Sunday.
Suni has her sights set on the Olympics 2024 in Paris. First, she's expected to compete in the Olympics trials which will be hosted in Minneapolis in June 2024.