Olympian Suni Lee Gushes Over Beyoncé Meeting: “I Cannot Breathe”

Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee had a fan-girl moment many can relate to — she met the Beyoncé! The 21-year-old gymnast couldn’t contain her excitement when she got a warm hug from the music icon at the 2024 Glamour Women of the Year gala, and the sweet encounter was captured on video.

In a clip shared by Glamour on social media, Suni and Beyoncé are seen beaming as they chat on the dance floor, surrounded by attendees celebrating the special night. The video quickly went viral, and Suni, like any superfan, took to X (formerly known as Twitter) to share her feelings.

“U guyyssss I cannot breathe stop,” Suni wrote, reacting to the magical moment. She also posted the heartwarming moment to her Instagram Stories, making it clear how much meeting Beyoncé meant to her.

The star-studded event on October 8th wasn’t just about celebrity moments, though. Suni was one of 11 women honored in Glamour’s Women of the Year issue, alongside Beyoncé’s mom, Tina Knowles, who gave a touching speech about motherhood during the event. A surprise appearance from Beyoncé herself left the crowd, including Suni, buzzing with excitement.

This isn’t the first time Suni and Beyoncé crossed paths in a big way. Over the summer, Beyoncé introduced Team USA during NBC’s primetime coverage of the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony. In a powerful remix of her hit YA YA from her Cowboy Carter album, the Irreplaceable singer gave a shoutout to the women’s gymnastics team, which included Suni, Simone Biles, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, and Hezly Rivera.

“Hello, girls,” Beyoncé greeted them in the segment. The team, including a glowing Suni, responded, “Hello, Beyoncé.”

Suni has had an incredible year herself. After battling a chronic kidney disease that sidelined her for a year, she made a huge comeback at the Paris Games, earning bronze medals in the uneven bars and all-around finals, as well as a gold in the team final. She called the Paris Olympics her “redemption tour” in an interview with PEOPLE, reflecting on her journey since the last Olympics.

In her words: “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. But ever since I got sick, I feel like normal Suni is — she’s just a different girl now.”