Suni Lee will get plenty of hometown, and Hmong, support as she competes in Paris Olympic Games

Olympic athletes are all in Paris as the 2024 games get underway Friday.

They're being joined by a Minnesota State Senator. Foung Hawj (DFL- St. Paul) is also heading to Paris as part of the Eastside Saint Paul contingent that'll cheer North St. Paul's own Suni Lee.

Hawj says he's in for a long day of travel Friday.

"I plan to see (Lee) compete tomorrow at 9:00 a.m. Paris time though," Hawj told Tom Hauser on the WCCO Morning News. "So, we're, I think seven hours different, and so I'll be leaving the Hubert Humphrey terminal around 5:00 depending on the flight schedule."

Lee won the all around gold at the Tokyo 2020 Games and is part of what is expected to be a dominant performance from the U.S. team bouyed by the return of Simone Biles.

But Lee will have plenty of hometown support in Paris. Hawj says her representation at the games is important for several reasons.

"She's probably the most famous Hmong person in the world at this moment," says Hawj. "There are a few along the line of popularity, but I think she is out there and with some skill too, with acrobatic skill that, you know, will turn to Olympic gold. And will not just bring (the) East Side to the map but also echo the name of Hmong and Hmong Americans."

Lee is no stranger to that hometown support either. She just participated in the US Gymnastics Trials in June held at Target Center in Minneapolis. Performing before a packed house, Lee used a spectacular performance on the uneven bars to vault her way onto the US team that'll compete in Paris. The crowd exploded following her dismount, and grew even louder when her score of 14.875 was posted.

Lee, Biles and the U.S. women’s gymnastics team practiced their routines ahead of qualifying this weekend. They will look to reclaim the team gold with Russia ineligible to take part in team sports this time.

Meanwhile, on the heels of low ratings for the coronavirus pandemic-marred Tokyo and Beijing Olympics, Paris may not do much better among U.S. viewers, a poll from Gallup released Thursday found.

The only outlier might be this U.S. women’s gymnastics team. They're are poised to be a bright spot, with those surveyed selecting it as their most anticipated sport.