New Orleans – Hezly Rivera was the fresh face a year ago. The newcomer. The teenager in a team of 20-Like Olympic gymnasts and does her best to absorb what she could do from Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee, Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles.
The only thing that stood out, even more than the sometimes extraterrestrial gymnastics, is the way in which her fellow gold-media winning teammates did their business.
“They looked so confident,” said Rivera. “They are like,” I’m going to go out and I’m going to hit. ” It gave me that trust too. “
The now 17-year-old who says that she does not pay attention to the idea that she is the leader of the women’s program in the early stages of the run-up to the 2028 Olympic Games, it certainly looks.
Stretched by a polished stability – and a jet routine that finally looked like it was at home in her home gymnastics in Texas – conquered her first national title on Sunday evening on the US Championships. Her two-day All-Round Total of 112,000 was good enough to dismiss a challenge from Leanne Wong and bring her to an excellent position to lead the American delegation at the world championships in Jakarta, Indonesia, in October.
Alicia Malnati via Getty images
Rivera, By far the youngest member Of the five -woman team that ended up a year ago on top of the stage in Paris, last month bounced back from a shaky version of the American classic with the species measured, refined gymnastics that she ate simply “releasing” every pressure she could feel like the lonely Olympic gold medal winner in a remarkable young field.
“No matter how rough the competition is, I can still go to the gym again and work hard because all those months earlier I worked hard, I know it will eventually appear,” she said. “So it just took a weight of my shoulders.”
Alicia Malnati via Getty images
Rivera locked at least one place in the selection camp of the World Championship next month. So did WongA four-time world championship medal winner, budding entrepreneur and pre-media student who has no signs of delay despite years of competing collegial and at the same time at the elite level.
Asked how she all juggles it, the 21-year-old who says she doesn’t hold a planner, said she lives at the motto: “There is time for everything.”
Joscelyn Roberson, an Olympic alternative last summer, shook off an ankle injury at the end of her floor routine to finish third, because the three most internationally experienced athletes in the field looked ready to lead after spending most of the last Olympic Quad -Learning of Biles and Company.
“You are going from,” Oh you are so young, you’re so young, “” Oh, you’re the older child, “said 19-year-old Roberson.” People say, “How do you feel?” Like, I honestly don’t feel so different. “
Two summers ago, Roberson Biles was’ Bouncy Sidekick. Now she is one of the leaders of the next Golf.
“I felt more responsible to let the small, smaller, less experienced children know that it is not the end of the day if you have a bad day or if you had one fall,” said Roberson. “I want to help them grow instead of thinking:” I have to be perfect. “”
Roberson then walked the walk. Or maybe the limk was limping. She seemed ready to first make it a three-wife race until she turned a single on the last tumbling pass of her floor routine.
The emerging second -year student in Arkansas went well. She took her way through her safe, although the deduction of five tenths (0.5) for the use of an extra path for her protection hair fell out of the battle for the all-round.
Yet the victory hardly came easily for Rivera. She was pushed by four rotations by Wong, who started on Sunday with a stuck Cheng safe and did not rage in the course of two hours.
Rivera responded every time – she placed the top scores on three of the four events – but it was only when she walked off the stage after her floor routine with the victory in her hand that she could relax.
“Everything fell into place,” said Rivera. “I have tried not to be too overwhelmed, because nerves can be clear, especially if you know that you are in a place to win a national title, but I just finished all the pressure.”
Skye Blakely, who was injured during the Olympic tests in both 2021 and 2024, was sublime on both uneven bars and balance beam to consider making the world team.
