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US gymnast Sunisa Lee says ‘we do not owe anyone a gold medal’

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Published July 28, 2021
Updated July 28, 2021, 9:42 a.m. ET

US gymnast Sunisa Lee expressed support for her teammates after superstar Simone Biles’ stunning Olympics withdrawal and defended their second-place finish in the team competition — defiantly saying they “do not owe anyone a gold medal.”

The 18-year-old from Minnesota tweeted Tuesday night that she has “never been prouder to be apart of such an amazing team with an amazing group of girls.”

She added: “We stepped up when we needed to and did this for ourselves. we do not owe anyone a gold medal, we are WINNERS in our hearts.”

Biles, 24, who came to Tokyo as arguably the face of the Games, also has withdrawn from Thursday’s all-around competition to focus on her mental well-being.

Sunisa Lee performs on the Balance Beam during the Women's Team final during the Artistic Gymnastics events of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Sunisa Lee performs on the balance beam during the women’s team final during the artistic gymnastics events of the Tokyo Games. EPA/HOW HWEE YOUNG

She removed herself from the team final Tuesday after one rotation because she felt she wasn’t mentally ready.

US' artistic gymnastics women's team members (from left) Sunisa Lee, Grace McCallum, Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles celebrate after winning the silver medal.
US artistic gymnastics women’s team members (from left) Sunisa Lee, Grace McCallum, Simone Biles and Jordan Chiles celebrate after winning the silver medal. AP/Natacha Pisarenko

When she returned, she took off her bar grips, hugged teammates Lee, Grace McCallum and Jordan Chiles and turned into the team’s head cheerleader as the US claimed silver behind the Russian Olympic Committee.

Lee’s family celebrated her performance during an early morning watch party from Minnesota on Tuesday.

Jordan Chiles (left) and Simone Biles celebrate their silver medal finish on the podium at the 2020 Olympics.
Jordan Chiles (left) and Simone Biles celebrate their silver medal finish on the podium at the 2020 Olympics. REUTERS/Mike Blake

“Even though we can’t go and support her in person, I’m glad that we could share with the world,” her dad, John Lee, told WCCO in Minnesota. “We’re just all so happy, we cheered her on. We had the full house so we were pretty loud.”

He said his daughter, who placed second behind Biles in the national championships, almost didn’t go to Tokyo because he was in surgery. He was partially paralyzed after falling from a ladder in 2019.

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“Her and her coach came over and I woke up and said, ‘You worked so hard for it, just go,’” John said. “Sunisa, she’s very persistent. Whatever she sets her mind to, she’ll go for it.”

Jade Carey, who finished ninth in qualifying, will take Biles’ place in the individual all-around.

Simon Biles withdrew from the all-around competition to focus on her mental well-being.
Simon Biles withdrew from the all-around competition to focus on her mental well-being. LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images)

Carey initially did not qualify because she was the third-ranking American behind Biles and Lee. International Gymnastics Federation rules limit countries to two athletes per event in the finals.

The organization said Biles will be evaluated daily before deciding if she will participate in next week’s individual events. She qualified for the finals on all four apparatuses.

With Post wires