Introducing Suni Lee, SI Swimsuit’s Newest Athlete

The two-time Olympian is an inspiration in the gym and beyond.

Suni Lee / Jamie Squire/Getty Images

Does the name ring a bell? Maybe that’s because Suni Lee’s reputation precedes her. She is one of the best competitive gymnasts currently active—and a two-time Olympian.

At just 21 years old, Lee has already achieved a career’s worth of accomplishments in the gym and beyond. For that reason, we’re more than happy to announce that Lee will be making her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit debut in the 2025 issue. As we speak, the athlete is currently at The Boca Raton prepping to shoot her first feature for the magazine. Today, she will pose for what are sure to be incredible snaps captured by photographer Ben Horton.

“We are thrilled to launch our shoot season for the 2025 issue with an extraordinary lineup of powerful female athletes,” SI Swimsuit editor in chief MJ Day shared. “This remarkable group, featuring Olympic medalists, world champions, and record holders, embodies the next generation of all-stars poised to transform the world of sports. They defy stereotypes and champion equality, inspiring young girls to envision themselves as both athletes and leaders. At SI Swimsuit, we’ve always celebrated the future of women, and there’s no better way to honor these remarkable achievements than by featuring them on the pages of our issue.”

We fully anticipate Lee will be sharing behind-the-scenes footage from the experience, so make sure to tune in to the SI Swimsuit Instagram as well as our live diary blog of her day, but in the meantime, we’re going to take a dive into her athletic—and non-athletic—accomplishments.

Lee’s athletic accomplishments

In 2019, Lee kicked off her senior international gymnastics career. After a handful of years on the junior circuit, she was ready for the big stage. And she proved as much, too. In her first World Championships that year, the athlete helped the U.S. team to a team gold medal before securing the individual bronze on the uneven bars and an individual silver in the floor exercise.

Just two years later, Lee made her Olympic debut at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Games. There, she contributed to a team silver medal and earned an individual bronze medal on the uneven bars. But the real crowning accomplishment of the games for Lee was the individual all-around title. In taking gold, she became the first woman of Asian descent—and only the sixth U.S. woman in history—to accomplish the feat.

Suni Lee / Naomi Baker/Getty Images

Following the whirlwind trip, Lee decided to take a step back from elite gymnastics and pursue a college career. In her two seasons with the Auburn Tigers, Lee secured both the SEC title on the uneven bars and a national championship title on the balance beam. After the 2022-2023 season, she stepped away from NCAA competition to return to elite gymnastics—and vy for a spot on the Paris Olympics team.

Over the summer, Lee successfully stamped her ticket to the 2024 Games. And, on the ground in France, helped the U.S. squad to a team gold before securing individual bronze medals in both the all-around competition and on the uneven bars.

Her impressive gymnastics résumé has earned her several accolades over the years. In 2021, she was named both Sports Illustrated’s Female Athlete of the Year and one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Lee’s life outside of the gym

Beyond the uneven bars and the floor, Lee has established herself as a force for good. After being diagnosed with a rare kidney disease in March 2023, she has become a fierce advocate for those with similar diseases. In that vein, Lee serves as an ambassador for the American Kidney Fund.

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In her capacity as a motivational speaker, she strives to inspire the next generation to work towards their goals and motivates audiences to seek greatness in spite of adversity. 

Next. Suni Lee BTS Blog. Go Behind the Scenes on Suni Lee’s SI Swimsuit Debut Shoot. dark