For the Lee sisters, Taekwondo runs in the blood. Their grandfather, Grandmaster Byung Yul Lee, helped bring the art to the United States when he founded a Taekwondo school in 1969. He then passed it along to the girls’ father, Eui Lee, who became a Grandmaster and a USA National and Olympic coach. The sisters—Lauren, 11, Ava, 9, and Jessica, 6,—have been practicing Taekwondo regularly since they were 2 1/2 years old.
Fast forward to this past summer; the Lee sisters competed in the AAU Nationals and the USA Taekwondo nationals—the two largest tournaments in the United States sanctioned by the U.S. Olympic Committee. Their hard work and heavy training paid off. The girls won both tournaments on back to back weekends. “This has never been done in Minnesota individually, let alone in one family,” noted their father, Eui Lee. Built by champions, the girls are proud to carry on the family tradition.
In 2025 I hope to…
…be in the Olympics –Lauren, 11
…be a better Taekwondo athlete and stop bullying and cancer –Ava, 9
…be a teacher –Jessica, 6
