Hezly Rivera

Last updated

Hezly Rivera
2024 US Classic Introductions 04.jpg
Rivera at the 2024 U.S. Classic
Personal information
Full nameHezly Esther Rivera
Nickname(s)Hez
Born (2008-06-04) June 4, 2008 (age 17)
Hackensack, New Jersey, U.S.
Gymnastics career
Discipline Women's artistic gymnastics
Country
represented		 Flag of the United States.svg United States
(2022–present)
College team LSU Tigers (2027–30)
Gym WOGA
Head coach(es) Valeri Liukin
Assistant coach(es) Anna Liukin
Former coach(es) Renard Franklin
Medal record
Women's artistic gymnastics
Representing the Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2024 Paris Team
Pan American Championships
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2025 Panama City Team
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2025 Panama CityAll-around
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg2025 Panama CityBalance beam
Junior World Championships
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 2023 Antalya Team
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg2023 AntalyaFloor Exercise

Hezly Esther Rivera OLY (born June 4, 2008) is an American artistic gymnast. She was a member of the gold medal-winning team at the 2024 Olympic Games, nicknamed the "Golden Girls", and was the youngest athlete on Team USA at the 2024 Olympics. [1] [2] Additionally, she is the 2025 U.S. national champion, the 2023 junior U.S. national champion, and a silver medalist with the U.S. team and on floor exercise at the 2023 Junior World Championships.

Contents

Early life

Rivera was born in Hackensack, New Jersey in 2008 to Heidy Ruiz and Henry Rivera, an engineer originally from the Dominican Republic. [3] [4] She was raised in nearby Oradell and has two siblings, older sister Carhelis and younger brother Hanly. She began gymnastics in 2013 after attending a friend's birthday party that was held in a gymnastics facility. [5] Rivera started her gymnastics career at ENA in Paramus under Craig Zappa. She then briefly trained under Maggie Haney until 2020, when her family moved to Texas to train under Valeri Liukin. [6] She attended an online high school. [7]

Junior gymnastics career

2022

Rivera competed at the 2022 Winter Cup where she placed third in the all-around. [8] As a result, she was selected to compete at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge. [9] While there, she helped the USA win gold. [5]

In July, Rivera competed at the U.S. Classic where she finished second in the all-around behind Jayla Hang. Additionally she won gold on balance beam, silver on floor exercise, and finished fourth on vault. [10] The following month Rivera competed at the National Championships where she finished sixth in the all-around and won bronze on floor exercise. [11]

2023

Rivera competed at the 2023 Winter Cup where she won the all-around competition. Additionally she placed first on balance beam and floor exercise. [12] As a result, on winning the competition, Rivera was named to the team to compete at the 2023 Junior World Championships. [13] [14]

On the first day of the Junior World Championships, Rivera helped the U.S. finish second behind Japan. However, during the vault rotation, Rivera's hand slipped on the vaulting table resulting in her scoring a 0 on the apparatus; therefore, she never qualified for the all-around final. She did qualify for the uneven bars and floor exercise finals. [15] [16] During event finals, Rivera placed eighth on uneven bars; she won silver on floor exercise behind Italian Giulia Perotti. [17]

Senior gymnastics career

2024

At 15, Rivera became age-eligible for senior level competition in 2024. She made her debut at the 2024 Winter Cup where she placed third in the all-around and tied for first on balance beam. [5] She made her international debut at the City of Jesolo Trophy where she helped the U.S. win bronze behind Italy and Brazil. At the National Championships, Rivera placed sixth in the all-around. As a result she qualified to the Olympic Trials. [18]

At the Olympic Trials, Rivera placed fifth in the all-around, tied for first on balance beam, fourth on uneven bars, and eighth on floor exercise. As a result she was selected to represent the United States at the 2024 Summer Olympics alongside Simone Biles, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, and Sunisa Lee. [19]

During the qualification round at the Olympics, Rivera competed on the uneven bars and balance beam. During the team final, Hezly did not compete but still won a gold medal as the team placed first. [20] [21] Following the Olympics, Rivera took part in the Gold Over America Tour. [22] In September, Rivera verbally committed to compete for the LSU Tigers. [23]

2025

Rivera returned to competition at the 2025 Winter Cup, where she only competed on balance beam; she finished ninth. [24] In May Rivera was selected to compete at the 2025 Pan American Championships alongside Dulcy Caylor, Jayla Hang, Gabrielle Hardie, Tiana Sumanasekera, and alternate Alessia Rosa. [25] On the first day of competition, she won bronze in the all-around behind compatriot Hang and Lia Monica Fontaine of Canada; additionally she qualified to the balance beam final in first place. [26] During the team final, Rivera contributed scores on all four apparatuses towards the United States' first place finish. [27] During the balance beam event final, she won bronze behind Lia Redick and Hang. [28]

At the 2025 U.S. Classic, Rivera competed in all four events, finishing in a tie for twelfth place after two falls on balance beam and uneven bars, but earned second place on floor exercise. [29] She would go on to win all-around title at the National Championships, finishing 0.8 points over runner-up Leanne Wong, and also became national champion on uneven bars (shared with Skye Blakely), balance beam, and floor exercise. [30] In winning the senior national championship title, Rivera became the first person to win both a USA Gymnastics National Championships title at both the junior and senior level since Jordyn Wieber did so in 2008 (junior) and 2011 (senior). [31]

Competitive history

Competitive history of Hezly Rivera at the junior level
YearEventTeamAAVTUBBBFX
2022 Winter Cup Bronze medal icon.svg86116
DTB Pokal Team Challenge Gold medal icon.svg
U.S. Classic Silver medal icon.svg411Gold medal icon.svgSilver medal icon.svg
U.S. National Championships 611612Bronze medal icon.svg
2023 Winter Cup Gold medal icon.svg47Gold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svg
Junior World Championships Silver medal icon.svg8Silver medal icon.svg
U.S. Classic 620
U.S. National Championships Gold medal icon.svg5Gold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svg15
Competitive history of Hezly Rivera at the senior level
YearEventTeamAAVTUBBBFX
2024 Winter Cup Bronze medal icon.svg20Gold medal icon.svgBronze medal icon.svg
City of Jesolo Trophy Bronze medal icon.svg94
U.S. Classic 24282629
U.S. National Championships 65413
Olympic Trials 54Gold medal icon.svg8
Olympic Games Gold medal icon.svg
2025 Winter Cup 9
Pan American Championships Gold medal icon.svgBronze medal icon.svgBronze medal icon.svg
U.S. Classic 122315Silver medal icon.svg
U.S. National Championships Gold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svgGold medal icon.svg

References

  1. ↑ Armour, Nancy (August 3, 2024). "Simone Biles reveals champion gymnastics team's 'official' nickname: the 'Golden Girls'". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 1, 2024. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  2. ↑ Galván, Astrid (July 1, 2024). "Gymnast Hezly Rivera is the youngest U.S. athlete to qualify for Paris Olympics". Axios. Archived from the original on July 2, 2024. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  3. ↑ Liddy, Kaetlyn; Li, David K. (July 1, 2024). "Hezly Rivera joins veterans on U.S. women's gymnastics squad headed to Paris". NBC . Archived from the original on August 6, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  4. ↑ Trujillo, Jovita (July 1, 2024). "Who is Hezly Rivera? The 16-year-old Latina gymnast going to the Paris Olympics". ¡Hola! . Archived from the original on August 4, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 "USAG Profile: Hezly Rivera". USA Gymnastics . Archived from the original on July 20, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  6. ↑ DeMeyer, Tess (June 30, 2024). "Meet Hezly Rivera, the 16-year-old gymnast who will make her Olympic debut alongside team of veterans in Paris". The Athletic . Archived from the original on July 31, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  7. ↑ Lutkin, Aimée (July 30, 2024). "Hezly Rivera Just Won a Gold Medal With Team USA—Get to Know the Gymnast". Elle . Retrieved August 9, 2024.
  8. ↑ "Parker repeats as junior all-around champion at 2022 Winter Cup Presented by OZONE and TURN". USA Gymnastics . February 27, 2022. Archived from the original on December 2, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  9. ↑ "World team members Frazier, McClain headline women's contingent for upcoming DTB Pokal Team Challenge and Mixed Cup in Stuttgart". USA Gymnastics . March 1, 2023. Archived from the original on August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Hang vaults to top of leaderboard in thrilling end to U.S. Classic junior women's competition". USA Gymnastics . July 30, 2022. Archived from the original on December 10, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Johnson captures women's junior all-around title on final day of OOFOS U.S. Gymnastics Championships". USA Gymnastics . August 21, 2022. Archived from the original on December 3, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Rivera takes home junior women all-around gold at 2023 Winter Cup". USA Gymnastics . February 26, 2023. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  13. ↑ "USA Junior rosters set for FIG World Juniors, DTB Pokal, City of Jesolo Trophy". USA Gymnastics . March 7, 2023. Archived from the original on November 28, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  14. ↑ Duffy, Patricia (February 26, 2023). "2023 Winter Cup: Hezly Rivera bests junior and senior women's fields en route to three titles, junior world team berth". Gymnastics Now. Archived from the original on July 3, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  15. ↑ Bregman, Scott (April 20, 2023). "Learning from mistakes: U.S. gymnast Hezly Rivera embraces 'mess-ups' to achieve Paris 2024 dream". International Olympic Committee . Archived from the original on July 29, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Junior women secure team silver at Junior Artistic World Championships; all through to finals". USA Gymnastics . March 30, 2023. Archived from the original on August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  17. ↑ Villa, Stefano (April 2, 2023). "Ginnastica artistica, Giulia Perotti strabilia a 13 anni: Campionessa del Mondo al corpo libero!" [Artistic gymnastics, Giulia Perotti amazes at 13: World Champion in floor exercise!]. OA Sport (in Italian). Archived from the original on May 4, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  18. ↑ "USA Gymnastics announces rosters for 2024 Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics". USA Gymnastics . June 3, 2024. Archived from the original on August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  19. ↑ Peene, Sam (June 30, 2024). "U.S. women's Paris 2024 gymnastics team announced". Olympics.com . Archived from the original on July 1, 2024. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  20. ↑ "American women reclaim Olympic team title". USA Gymnastics . July 30, 2024. Archived from the original on August 5, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  21. ↑ Graves, Will (July 30, 2024). "Simone Biles and Team USA earn redemption by powering to Olympic gold in women's gymnastics". USA Gymnastics . Archived from the original on August 7, 2024. Retrieved August 7, 2024.
  22. ↑ "Asher Hong, Hezly Rivera, Shane Wiskus and Yul Moldauer Join Simone Biles and America's Best Gymnasts for 30-City U.S. Tour". Greensboro Coliseum Complex . August 15, 2024.
  23. ↑ "LSU Gymnastics scores a massive recruiting win landing Gold Medal Gymnast". Death Valley Voice . September 26, 2024.
  24. ↑ "Sullivan wins senior women's Winter Cup all-around title". USA Gymnastics . February 22, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Women's 2025 Senior Pan American Championships team announced". USA Gymnastics . May 22, 2025. Retrieved May 22, 2025.
  26. ↑ "Hang takes all-around gold, Rivera bronze at Pan Am Champs". USA Gymnastics . June 13, 2025. Retrieved June 13, 2025.
  27. ↑ "U.S. sweeps team titles at Senior Pan Am Championships". USA Gymnastics . June 14, 2025. Retrieved June 14, 2025.
  28. ↑ "Americans win 11 apparatus medals, 16 total as 2025 Senior Pan Ams conclude". USA Gymnastics . June 15, 2025.
  29. ↑ "Hezly Rivera on mixed results at U.S. Classic: 'I wanted to prove to myself how strong I am'". International Gymnast Magazine Online. July 21, 2025. Retrieved July 26, 2025.
  30. ↑ Press, Associated (August 11, 2025). "Hezly Rivera sends message for LA 2028 Olympics by taking US gymnastics national title". The Guardian. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  31. ↑ @USAGym (August 31, 2025). "in good company 🤝 Hezly Rivera becomes the first Junior All-Around National Champion to also win the Senior All-Around since Jordyn Wieber!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
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