Suni Lee's Twin Cities home gym reacts to gold medal performance

LITTLE CANADA, Minn. — There was a pause from classes on Tuesday at Midwest Gymnastics in Little Canada, Suni Lee's home gym, to watch her compete in the Olympic team final.

Puner Koy, Lee's former coach, was feeling confident.

"I think this is kind of her arena. I think that's where she's most calm and that's when her world's most settled. It's her thing," Koy said.

Last month at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Minnesota , Lee declared her desire.

"We really want a team gold. I feel like this is kind of like, this is the same team basically as 2020, so it's kind of like a redemption tour," Lee said.

Mission accomplished. The United States handily won the team gold medal, avenging the silver in Tokyo.

At the watch party at Midwest Gymnastics, the moment was viewed by an intent ensemble, breathing words of encouragement from more than 4,000 miles away.

"It's just incredible to see that they all said that this was going be the redemption tour, and they really pulled it off," said gymnast Kennedy Doherty.

Bianca Graba, a level 10 gymnast, is the daughter of Suni's coach, Jess Graba.

"She's basically my older sister (laughs)! She's lived at my house during COVID and everything," Graba said.

She witnessed up close Lee's battle with two kidney diseases and the work it took to return to gymnastics.

"I'm just really proud of her for overcoming all those struggles," Graba said. "It was kind of scary, but also like I knew she'd make it through because she's really tough."

There are still three more events for Lee in the Paris Games, and no time to relax for those around her. Graba says she gets more nervous while watching Lee than when she competes herself.

"I just care a lot about her and I just get really nervous," she said.

Lee competes in the All-Around final on Thursday.