Olympic champion and 'best athlete in the world' Lee wins college all-around debut

Lee took the gold medal in the event at Tokyo 2020 and now, still just 18, is entering her first NCAA season this year.

With limited involvement since the Olympics, Lee has had to bide her time ahead of an all-around return, but it was worth the wait on Friday.

A total score of 39.700 pipped Mati Waligora to the all-around crown and led Auburn to a 197.525-197.125 victory – just their third ever against rivals Alabama.

Lee was second on the vault, joint-second on the floor and tied for first on both the bars and beam.

"She's the best athlete in the world," Graba said.

WAR EAGLE TO THATTTT https://t.co/b7xLFTq9Io

— Sunisa lee (@sunisalee_) January 29, 2022

"She just had a different drive this week. She's been trying to catch up from where everybody else had five months and she's had less than five weeks, and I think it's been hitting her like a ton of bricks. She finally just let it come to her this week.

"Now, she took control of her training a little bit better."

Quoted by AL.com, Graba said: "I do think the mistake last week [a fall in Lee's beam routine against Iowa State] probably fuelled some of that, because she doesn't handle mistakes very well sometimes, and that's a good thing; you want people driven by that.

"She just came in with a fire this week, and I'm not sure I could have not put her in the all-around. I might not be talking to you tonight if that was the case."