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sports Wednesday 6 april 2022
Olympic gold medalist Sunisa Lee banking more NCAA success

By JOHN ZENOR She is still taking online
AP Sports Writer courses and spent the fall in
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Sunisa Los Angeles for the dancing
Lee needed a respite from competition show before
the exhausting, all-consum- officially joining the team
ing world of elite gymnas- in Auburn in December.
tics. Lee feels like appearing on
She wanted to go to school, “Dancing With the Stars”
and the ability now for col- — she made the semifinals
lege athletes to make mon- with partner Sasha Farber
ey off name, image and — makes her “more of an
likeness deals made it an exciting person.”
easy call. “It just makes it interesting,”
The Olympic all-around Lee said. “It’s really cool
champion who has her that I’m getting to do all
sights set on defending her this at such a young age.
title in Paris in 2024 has capi- But then I’m scared. When
talized on her still-newfound I get older, what am I going
fame with appearances on to do then? Because if I do
“Dancing with the Stars” everything now, what am I
among other endeavors. going to do in the future?
The 19-year-old is hardly a “But I don’t know, it’s really
normal college freshman. exciting.”
“Even without the NIL, I Lee has also dealt with the
knew I wanted to go to col- Auburn gymnast Sunisa Lee gathers with teammates before performing at a meet at the University sudden fame that comes
lege anyway just because I of Michigan, Saturday, March 12, 2022, in Ann Arbor, Mich. with being an Olympic
had to come find my love Associated Press champion. She can’t just
for the sport again,” Lee Neville Arena, this one on she has much to prove. done so much more. I want pop into the grocery store
said. “I had to get out of the the balance beam to help Lee’s all-around gold came to look back and know I or have a quiet dinner out.
elite world just because it is Auburn edge Kentucky. after favorite Simone Biles gave it everything I had She even stopped going to
so different. This is so much The All-American came withdrew from the compe- and if I didn’t succeed, I Auburn basketball games.
more fun, and having the in ranked first nationally in tition citing mental health didn’t. But I gave it my all.” It’s all a part of the new
team be so supportive.” the uneven bars — where concerns. Lee said she Lee has a leotard line with normal for a teenager who
The new NIL rules allowed she won bronze in Tokyo — doesn’t think she’s reached GK Elite and a clothing isn’t yet fully accustomed
her to parlay her success tied for first on the balance her full potential yet and line with Pretty Little Thing., to the spotlight but is ea-
in Tokyo last summer into beam and second in the that is indeed gold medal- which she tracks while living ger not to ever come off as
financial security without all-around. worthy. in a dormitory like other Au- standoffish.
sacrificing the college ex- “I think if the Olympics “I think it’s something I just burn freshmen with room- “It’s really hard, because
perience and education. were a year earlier and this want to prove to myself, mate/teammate Sara Hub- even grabbing food, peo-
And without spending all happened, she couldn’t because I think I have a bard. She has splurged on ple come up to her and
day holed up in the gym. make that decision” to at- lot of doubters,” said Lee, a car and her first designer are just like, ‘Hold my baby.
Lee has helped lead the tend college, said Auburn a Hmong American who bag but mostly fears spend- Take my picture. Sign my
Tigers to the NCAA cham- coach Jeff Graba, whose is from Minnesota. “And ing too much now and not shoes,’” Hubbard said of
pionships, from April 14-16 twin brother Jess has been prove it to everybody else having enough later. her roommate. “I think it’s
in Fort Worth, Texas, for the Lee’s longtime personal but more importantly to “I’m so scared to actually just overwhelming. It’s kind
first time since 2016. She coach. myself. use my money,” Lee said. of scary when a bunch of
scored her fifth 10 of the While Lee is competing for “I don’t want to look back “I’m so cautious with it be- random people are just all
season in the regional at NCAA titles, she also feels and be like, I could have cause I have to be.” in your business.”q

MLB players gave $50,000 to minor leaguers

By RONALD BLUM jor leagues and $57,200 part of the memoradum
AP Baseball Writer for a player in the minors of agreement for a labor
NEW YORK (AP) — The under his first big league contract running until De-
union for Major League contract For ununionized cember 2026, a deal that
Baseball players gave players with minor league ended a 99-day lockout.
$50,000 to their ununion- contracts, the weeky mini- The union had $271.2 mil-
ized minor league coun- mum is $500 per week at lion in cash, U.S. Treasury
terparts. The payment was Class A, $600 at Double-A securities and investments
made in November 2021, and $700 at Triple-A over on Dec. 31, up from $178.5
according to the annual the roughly five-month million at the end of 2020,
financial disclosure dated season. The union paid $159.5 million at the end of
March 31 and filed by the $2,223,064 in 2021 to Win- 2019, $102.4 million at the Major League Baseball Players Association Executive Director
Major League Baseball ston & Strawn, the law firm end of 2018 and $80.1 mil- Tony Clark, right, answers a question at a press conference in
Players Association with of Jeffrey Kessler. The firm lion at the end of 2017. The their offices in New York, Friday, March 11, 2022.
the U.S. Labor Depart- was retained to represent union usually prepares for Associated Press
ment. Players on 40-man the union in the griev- bargaining by withhold- Union head Tony Clark The union did not give any
major league rosters are ance against MLB over the ing licensing money due again topped staff with money in 2021 to the Play-
represented by the union pandemic-shortened 2020 to players and keeping it a $2.25 million salary, and ers Trust, which last year
and have a minimum sal- season, a case that was available to disburse dur- chief negotiator Bruce hired Amy Hever as its new
ary of $700,000 in the ma- dropped last month as ing or after a stoppage. Meyer was at $1 million. director. q