Suni Lee gets hero's welcome as she returns home to MN after Olympics

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Fans packed the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Sunday as star gymnast Suni Lee returned home after winning gold in the Paris Olympics.

What happened?

Family, friends, fans, and even political leaders packed into the arrivals area at St. Paul airport to greet the Olympian.

Lee took time to sign autographs, take photos, and even hug some young gymnast as she worked her way through the crowd.

What did Suni win?

In Paris, Suni Lee helped Team USA win gold in the team all-around event. She also earned two bronze medals in the individual all-around and the artistic gymnastics events.

During the Tokyo Games, Lee earned gold in the individual all-around along with silver in the team event, and bronze in the uneven bars.

Inspiring the next generation

"I really, really wanted to meet her in person," said one young fan waiting for Lee’s arrival.

A mix of fans and friends, holding signs and flowers, eagerly awaited her return. They were thrilled to see in person the gymnast they had watched from afar.

"When she was up, my heart was racing," another fan shared. "It was very nerve-wracking."

Among the crowd were young gymnasts from the Twin Cities who train with Lee. They had gathered to watch her compete and admire her in many ways.

"She’s very inspiring, she’s very nice, and she likes to motivate you," said Sophia Buechler from Midwest Gymnastics. "She’ll give you corrections to motivate you to keep going to the next level and stuff."

Suni's comeback

The Olympic achievements for Lee were even more profound because she had to battle back from health issues, leaving her little time to train.

"Her conditioning wasn’t up to par with the rest of the competition," said Punnarith Koy, Lee’s youth coach. "It’s a testament to her work ethic and her talent."

Lee cut her college gymnastics career short after being diagnosed with a kidney disorder that prevented her from training.