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29 Jul, 2021 13:52

US teen Suni Lee shines in Simone Biles’ absence to win all-round gold as ROC star Melnikova claims bronze in Tokyo

US teen Suni Lee shines in Simone Biles’ absence to win all-round gold as ROC star Melnikova claims bronze in Tokyo

Suni Lee of the US has claimed gold in the women's individual all-round gymnastics competition, succeeding compatriot Simone Biles after the 24-year-old declined to defend her title while citing mental health concerns.

A 2019 team world champion, Lee achieved her feat with a score of 57.433.

This saw off Rebeca Andrade, who clinched silver with 57.298 and became Brazil's first-ever Olympic medalist in women’s gymnastics.

In third and collecting the bronze was the ROC's Angelina Melnikova, while countrywoman Vladislava Urazova finished fourth with the pair putting in scores of 57.199 and 56.966 respectively.

Despite Biles' absence, Lee made sure that an American woman from Team USA has claimed every Olympic all-around event in this discipline since Athens 2004.

Once more, a huge crowd of friends and family were watching back in her hometown of Saint Paul, Minnesota as the 18-year-old was left tearful and speechless by her feat. 

Her journey to achieving it has been tough, though.

Days before the 2019 national championships, where she finished second behind Biles, her father John was left partially-paralyzed after falling from a ladder when cutting down a tree.

He remains wheelchair-bound, but Lee will have made him proud by going on to win the team gold medal at the World Championships in Stuttgart, the silver in the same discipline earlier this wee in Tokyo, and now the highest individual accolade.

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