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Hezly Rivera

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Hezly Rivera
Rivera at the 2024 U.S. Classic
Personal information
Nickname(s)Hez
Country represented United States
Born (2008-06-04) June 4, 2008 (age 16)
Hackensack, New Jersey
HometownOradell, New Jersey
ResidencePlano, Texas
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
LevelSenior International Elite
Years on national team2022–present (USA)
GymWOGA
Head coach(es)Valeri Liukin
Assistant coach(es)Anna Liukin
Former coach(es)Maggie Haney
Medal record
Women's artistic gymnastics
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2024 Paris Team
Junior World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2023 Antalya Team
Silver medal – second place 2023 Antalya Floor Exercise

Hezly Rivera (born June 4, 2008) is an American artistic gymnast and Olympic gold medalist. She was a member of the silver medal-winning team at the 2023 Junior World Championships. Additionally, she is the 2023 Junior World silver medalist on floor exercise. She was a part of Team USA at the 2024 Summer Olympics, making her the youngest athlete on the entire U.S. delegation.[1]

Early life

Rivera was born in Hackensack, New Jersey in 2008 to Heidy Ruiz and Henry Rivera, an engineer originally from the Dominican Republic.[2][3] She was raised in nearby Oradell and has two siblings, older sister, Carhelis, and younger brother, Hanly. [4] She began gymnastics in 2013 after attending a friend's birthday party that was held in a gymnastics facility.[4]

Junior gymnastics career

2022

Rivera competed at the 2022 Winter Cup where she placed third in the all-around.[5] As a result, she was selected to compete at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge.[6] While there she helped the USA win gold.[7]

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.[8] The following month Rivera competed at the National Championships where she finished sixth in the all-around and won bronze on floor exercise.[9]

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.[10] As a result, on winning the competition, Rivera was named to the team to compete at the 2023 Junior World Championships.[11][12]

On the first day of the Junior World Championships Rivera helped the USA 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 and therefore not qualifying for the all-around final. She did qualify for the uneven bars and floor exercise finals.[13][14] During event finals Rivera placed eighth on uneven bars but won silver on floor exercise behind Italian Giulia Perotti.[15]

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.[7] She made her international debut at the City of Jesolo Trophy where she helped the USA 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.[16]

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.[17] They won gold in the team final.[18]

Competitive history

Year Event Team AA VT UB BB FX
Junior
2022 Winter Cup 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 8 6 11 6
DTB Pokal Team Challenge 1st place, gold medalist(s)
U.S. Classic 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 4 11 1st place, gold medalist(s) 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
U.S. National Championships 6 11 6 12 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
2023 Winter Cup 1st place, gold medalist(s) 4 7 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s)
Junior World Championships 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 8 2nd place, silver medalist(s)
U.S. Classic 6 20
U.S. National Championships 1st place, gold medalist(s) 5 1st place, gold medalist(s) 1st place, gold medalist(s) 15
Senior
2024 Winter Cup 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 20 1st place, gold medalist(s) 3rd place, bronze medalist(s)
City of Jesolo Trophy 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 9 4
U.S. Classic 24 28 26 29
U.S. National Championships 6 5 4 13
Olympic Trials 5 4 1st place, gold medalist(s) 8
Olympic Games 1st place, gold medalist(s)

References

  1. ^ Galván, Astrid (July 1, 2024). "Gymnast Hezly Rivera is the youngest U.S. athlete to qualify for Paris Olympics". Axios. Retrieved July 2, 2024.
  2. ^ "Hezly Rivera joins veterans on U.S. women's gymnastics squad headed to Paris". NBC. July 1, 2024.
  3. ^ "Who is Hezly Rivera? The 16-year-old Latina gymnast going to the Paris Olympics". ¡Hola!. July 1, 2024.
  4. ^ a b "USAG Profile: Hezly Rivera". USA Gymnastics.
  5. ^ "Parker repeats as junior all-around champion at 2022 Winter Cup Presented by OZONE and TURN". USA Gymnastics. February 27, 2022.
  6. ^ "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.
  7. ^ a b "USA Gymnastics | Athletes". members.usagym.org. Retrieved July 23, 2024.
  8. ^ "Hang vaults to top of leaderboard in thrilling end to U.S. Classic junior women's competition". USA Gymnastics. July 30, 2022.
  9. ^ "Johnson captures women's junior all-around title on final day of OOFOS U.S. Gymnastics Championships". USA Gymnastics. August 21, 2022.
  10. ^ "Rivera takes home junior women all-around gold at 2023 Winter Cup". USA Gymnastics. February 26, 2023.
  11. ^ "USA Junior rosters set for FIG World Juniors, DTB Pokal, City of Jesolo Trophy". USA Gymnastics. March 7, 2023.
  12. ^ "2023 Winter Cup: Hezly Rivera bests junior and senior women's fields en route to three titles, junior world team berth". Gymnastics Now. February 26, 2023.
  13. ^ "Learning from mistakes: U.S. gymnast Hezly Rivera embraces 'mess-ups' to achieve Paris 2024 dream". International Olympic Committee. April 20, 2023.
  14. ^ "Junior women secure team silver at Junior Artistic World Championships; all through to finals". USA Gymnastics. March 30, 2023.
  15. ^ "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). April 2, 2023.
  16. ^ "USA Gymnastics announces rosters for 2024 Olympic Team Trials – Gymnastics". USA Gymnastics. June 3, 2024.
  17. ^ Peene, Sam (June 30, 2024). "U.S. women's Paris 2024 gymnastics team announced". olympics.com. Retrieved July 1, 2024.
  18. ^ "Highlights: Simone Biles and Team USA take gold in Olympics gymnastics finals". AP News. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
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