Suni Lee reacts to University of Minnesota's Mya Hooten producing career-best performance against Iowa
2020 Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee hyped up Mya Hooten of the University of Minnesota on her career-best performance at a faceoff against Iowa women's gymnastics at the Big Ten Home Opener.
The showdown between the No. 15 University of Minnesota women's gymnastics and the No. 18 University of Iowa was held on Monday, January 22, 2024, at the Maturi Pavilion in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Hooten, who is a three-time All-American and 2023 Big Ten Champion, scored a remarkable 9.975 points on the vault after displaying her finesse to tie a career-best. The University of Minnesota women's gymnastics dominated Iowa Gymnastics after the fourth rotation with a score of 196.850 - 196.150.
Lee, an Olympic all-around gold medalist and former Auburn Tigers gymnast, expressed her excitement for Hooten on social media. Lee shared a video of Hooten executing a flawless landing in the vault event and wrote:
"My girllll," along with two heart-eye cat emojis.
The University of Minnesota women's gymnastics will go head-to-head against the Maryland Gymnastics in the home state on Saturday, January 27, 2024.
Suni Lee sets her sight on the 2024 Olympics despite facing a medical issue
Suni Lee showed an exemplary display of her gymnastics prowess at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo by clinching a gold in the women’s all-around event, a silver in beam, and a bronze medal in the uneven bars.
After the Olympics, Lee had to end her college gymnastics career with the Auburn Tigers due to kidney issues. Undeterred by the medical challenge, Lee qualified for the 2023 U.S. Championships, earning a bronze on the beam.
During an interview with the E-news, she shared the difficulties she faced navigating the medical issue and about her physical incapability to perform gymnastics, saying:
"I really didn't know what to do with myself because I couldn't practice at all. I really just had to sit in my bed and be sad because I couldn't do anything," Lee said "It was just so scary."
However, unfazed by the challenges and being confident in her abilities, Lee has set her sights on competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She said:
"I'm at the point where I'm like, 'I just want to make it there. If I can make it there with everything going on, that's going to be as special as winning a gold medal."