For Hezly Rivera, age is indeed just a number.
Securing fifth place all-around at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials — Gymnastics in Minneapolis, the 16-year-old from Oradell, New Jersey, is headed to the 2024 Paris Olympics. There, she will compete alongside Olympic veterans Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee and Jade Carey.
Rivera is not only the youngest member of the U.S. women’s gymnastics team, but also the youngest competitor representing Team USA in any sport at the Games.
Ahead of her Olympic debut, here’s what you should know about Hezly Rivera.
She first became involved in gymnastics when she was 5
Rivera’s talent was first noticed at a birthday celebration. At the age of 5, she attended a party at a gymnastics facility, and her abilities impressed the staff, who recommended that her parents enroll her in gymnastics classes, according to Olympics.com.
Five years later, she developed a passion for the Olympic Games, watching the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics “over and over again.”
She met Simone Biles when she was 7
When she was 7, Rivera met her future teammate, Simone Biles, before Biles competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics at the age of 19. Now, eight years later, Biles, 27, intends to mentor the 16-year-old newcomer, per The Associated Press.
“We’re really excited to, kind of, show her the ropes,” Biles said. “And at least she doesn’t have to do it alone. She has four veterans that have been there before.”
She trains at World Olympic Gymnastics Academy
A New Jersey native, Rivera relocated to Plano, Texas, to train at World Olympic Gymnastics Academy in hopes of joining Team USA, per NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth.
“I know that anything is possible, so if I keep working hard in the gym, I know that I can achieve anything,” she expressed to the outlet when she was 15. “My family made the commitment to come here and moved here just so that I could train.”
WOGA has produced several accomplished Olympians, including Carly Patterson and Nastia Liukin. The latter is the daughter of WOGA co-founder Valeri Liukin, under whom Rivera trains.
She has experienced a great deal of success during her short career
At only 16 years of age, Rivera has already amassed a wealth of accomplishments throughout her brief career. According to her profile on USA Gymnastics’ website, Rivera emerged from the 2024 Winter Cup in Louisville, Kentucky, as the balance beam champion, as well as an all-around and floor exercise bronze medalist.
Other notable achievements include securing first place in the balance beam, floor exercise and all-around categories in the junior division at the 2023 Winter Cup, along with winning second place in the floor exercise at the 2023 Junior World Championships.
She is the sixth first-year senior to be named to the Olympic team
Rivera’s performance at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials — Gymnastics secured her membership in “one of the most exclusive clubs at USA Gymnastics,” USAG shared on X.
She becomes the sixth first-year senior to make the Olympic team since the establishment of USAG’s women’s national teams in 1982.
Rivera now stands alongside Laurie Hernandez, a 2016 qualifier; Kyla Ross, who made the team in 2012; Courtney McCool, who was selected in 2004; and Brandy Johnson and Chelle Stack, who both qualified in 1988.
She is the youngest member of the US women’s gymnastics team
At just 16 years old, Rivera completes the U.S. women’s gymnastics team as its youngest athlete. Securing a final score of 111.15 at the Olympic team trials, Rivera earned the coveted fifth spot on the team.
In conversation with TODAY’s Hoda Kotb following the trials, Rivera described the experience as “surreal.”
“I cannot believe that I’m here right now. It’s just — all my hard work has been paying off,” she said. “I’m so excited to represent Team USA at the Olympics. I’m, like, shocked.”
Her teammates joked around with her because she is barely old enough to drive.
“I technically can, but I haven’t been,” Rivera explained. “I’ve just been so busy!”
