Suni Lee Says She ‘Cannot Breathe’ After Meeting — and Hugging! — Beyoncé

Lee ran into Beyoncé and the two shared a warm embrace and smiles in a clip from 'Glamour' magazine's Women of the Year gala

Suni Lee and Beyonce at the Glamour Women of the Year event
Suni Lee and Beyonce at the Glamour Women of the Year event. Photo:

Suni Lee/Instagram

Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee had the most relatable reaction to meeting Beyoncé in New York City!

Lee, 21, got to embrace the "Texas Hold 'Em" singer while attending the 2024 Glamour magazine Women of the Year gala on Tuesday, Oct. 8, and their adorable meeting was captured in a video shared by the magazine on X (formerly known as Twitter).

The Team USA gymnast — who also shared a glam moment with Demi Lovato at the gala — was all smiles as Beyoncé greeted her with a warm hug.

The superstars chatted excitedly for a moment as attendees crowded the dance floor in celebration of the annual issue.

Suni Lee and Beyonce at the Glamour Women of the Year event
Suni Lee and Beyonce at the Glamour Women of the Year event.

Suni Lee/Instagram

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

After Glamour posted the video on X, Lee shared her sweet reaction to meeting the music icon with her followers.

“U guyyssss I cannot breathe stop,” Lee captioned the video. She also posted an additional photo on her Instagram Stories of the big moment.

Lee was one of the 11 honorees for Glamour's Women of the Year issue, along with Beyoncé's mom, Tina Knowles. Beyoncé made a surprise appearance at the event, and was seen tearing up as her mom gave a speech about motherhood.

"I've had many careers, but I've always said that the best job that I've ever had is being a mother," Knowles said. "I've had the privilege of raising and helping to raise four daughters. Two that were born to me and two that were a gift to me from God.”

Beyoncé and Lee, meanwhile, got a moment this summer when the 32-time Grammy winner, 42, surprised millions of viewers with an introduction for Team USA during NBC's primetime coverage of the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony.

In the roughly 2-minute and 30-second clip, Beyoncé remixed her single “YA YA” from her Cowboy Carter album with the help of some of the best athletes representing the U.S.

“Hello, girls,” the superstar said. 

“Hello, Beyoncé,” members of the women’s gymnastics team — Lee, along with teammates Jade Carey, Simone BilesJordan Chiles and Hezly Rivera — replied.

“We wanna welcome you to the 2024 Summer Olympic games! Ah!” Beyoncé said as the music grew stronger. “On behalf of Team USA, we gon' make it do what it do, YA YA! Put them hands together!”

Lee took home bronze medals in the uneven bars and the all-around final in Paris, as well as a gold medal in the team final.

Winner US' Simone Biles and third-placed US' Sunisa Lee celebrate after the artistic gymnastics women's all around final during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at the Bercy Arena
Simone Biles (left) and Suni Lee celebrate after medaling in the women's all-around final.

LOIC VENANCE/AFP via Getty Images

The Olympian — who was completely sidelined by a chronic kidney disease just one year prior — said the Paris Games were her opportunity for a "redemption tour," during an interview with PEOPLE at the Games.

"This has been my redemption tour from the last Olympics, and I've been trying to give myself grace for not being, I guess fully back to normal Suni," Lee told PEOPLE at Team USA House on Aug. 5, after the balance beam final.

"But ever since I got sick, I feel like normal Suni is — she's just a different girl now," Lee added, describing the updated version of herself as "more mature" and "more fun."

Comments
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. PEOPLE does not endorse the opinions and views shared by readers in our comment sections.

Related Articles