Hezly Rivera is heading to Paris as the youngest member of the U.S. women’s gymnastics team.
MINNEAPOLIS — Hezly Rivera planned to spend a significant portion of this summer learning how to drive.
Still, the 2023 U.S. junior champion admits she was “shocked” when she heard her name called late Sunday night. She hoped she’d done enough to at least earn a spot as an alternate. Instead, she will walk onto the floor at Bercy Arena as part of a group that will be heavily favored to finish atop the podium.It’s a moment Rivera didn’t exactly anticipate after a shaky start in the run-up to the Olympic trials. She finished a distant 24th at the U.S.
“I definitely love competing with the senior crowd and all the seniors,” Rivera said. “You know, they’re all so sweet and supportive and always cheering you on, and the energy is just so big. So I really love that.” A place Rivera has long wanted to go, a place she is going ahead of schedule. She sat transfixed when Biles won the Olympic title at Rio de Janeiro in 2016. During the 2020 Games, she envisioned being in that position by Los Angeles in 2028.
There was no scrambling during trials, just the steely resolve of an athlete who peaked at the right time. There were tears afterward with her family, who moved from New Jersey to Texas so Rivera could train at one of the premier gyms in the country.
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