Who Is Olympic Gymnast Suni Lee’s Boyfriend Jaylin Smith?
Sunisa “Suni” Lee’s road to the 2024 Paris Olympics wasn’t an easy one. After competing and taking home three medals including one gold during the Tokyo Olympics three years earlier, the gymnast attended Auburn University. But while in college she became ill and in March 2023 was diagnosed with a rare, incurable kidney disease. She was forced to end her collegiate gymnastics career early due to her health issues.
Lee was determined to compete again though and worked her way back from her illness in time to qualify for the Paris Games.
Lee is now in remission and fans want to know even more about her life these days including who she’s dating. Here’s more on the man Lee has been in a relationship with for years, Jaylin Smith, and why there is a rumor that they may not be together anymore.
When Suni Lee and Jaylin Smith started dating
Lee and Smith went Instagram official in December 2021 when the Olympian posted a photo of them embracing while wearing matching black hoodies and captioned it with a heart emoji.
However, the two became much more private and stopped sharing pictures on social media after the reaction they received from some Hmong Americans. In January 2022, Lee said she had to deal with a lot of “hate” and negative comments from others in her Hmong community over her relationship with Smith.
The Minnesota native responded to a TikTok user who captioned a video: “I know that Sunisa will be judged by certain eyes in the Hmong Community because her man is Black. LOVE is LOVE, no matter what race or gender you are. Keep doing you QUEEN.”
“This makes me so happy. I’ve received so much hate,” Lee commented with a crying emoji, adding, “They support me when it’s beneficial for them never when it comes to my happiness. Thank you!”
A rumor started circulating in August 2024 that Lee and Smith may have called it quits because they no longer follow each other on Instagram. But there’s been no confirmation from either of them on the status of their relationship now.
Smith is an athlete as well
Like Lee, Smith is an athlete as well.
He plays football for the University of Southern California where he is majoring in communications. In his first three years as cornerback for the USC Trojans, Smith has recorded 123 tackles including 8.5 for loss (with 2 sacks), 3 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles, and an interception while appearing in 33 games with 22 starts.
Before college, he played cornerback, wide receiver, and running back at Bishop Alemany High in Mission Hills, California, and made 2020 PrepStar All-American.
Smith appeared in a Netflix series with Snoop Dogg
While in high school, Smith was featured in the Netflix docuseries Coach Snoop which followed Snoop Dogg and his Snoop Youth Football League. Smith went by “J-Roc” on the show and was one of the rapper’s favorite players.
“J-Roc, he’s a different kind of kid,” Snoop said during the series. “Definitely one of my favorites.”
Smith’s mother was killed in a hit-and-run a few years before the show filmed and he opened up about her a bit in the documentary.
“Every time I scored, I’d hear her screaming on the sideline,” Smith told producers. “So you know, I miss her being on the sideline with me. I cry sometimes, but I don’t like to show my emotions on anything. I’m a strong guy. Imma grieve on the field. I’m gonna make sure you feel it because you on a different team from me.”
