ST PAUL, Minn. — All eyes are on Minneapolis this week as the top gymnasts across the country compete for a spot on Team USA. St. Paul is finding its own spotlight as golden girl Sunisa Lee makes a run for her second Olympics.
"I am so proud to say I was her teacher," former teacher, Malina Xiong, said.
Xiong teaches at Battle Creek Elementary School where Suni went as a child. Xiong says Suni and her friends would do cartwheels in the classrooms. She described her as a sweet girl, who was always kind to others. Adding Suni and her group of friends were some of her favorites she ever taught.
"She's succeeded because she tries her best, and that's what I tell my students now," Xiong said.
Twelve years ago, Mr. Richards remembers Suni for her skills in gym class. She would often do demos of the activities for her fellow classmates and was a reigning champ at climbing the 25-foot-long rope.
"She would beat me!" Richards joked.
Xiong and Richards are longtime supporters of Suni. Some of their proudest moments were seeing her return after the Olympics and make a large donation of school supplies to her former elementary school.
Suni made history as the world's first Hmong-American Olympian. She is the gold medal all-around champion from the 2020 Tokyo Games.
Suni will be competing at the U.S. Olympic Trials this weekend. You can watch them live on KARE 11.
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