Hezly Rivera is heading to Paris as the youngest member of the U.S. women's gymnastics team after a strong showing at the Olympic trials.
Heady territory for a self-proclaimed “underdog” who never expected to be here. Not that Rivera looked out of place competing against some of her idols at the. She earned her way onto the five-woman team by thriving over two days and eight tense rotations that tested the nerves of athletes whose resumes are packed with gold.
“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.” , Rivera, who celebrated her 16th birthday less than a month ago, is a throwback to a time — not so long ago — when the U.S. Olympic roster was stuffed with teenagers.
On a night where the top three all-around gymnasts had falls on beam, Hezly Rivera nailed her routine and earns an impressive 14.275.“She's just so calm, cool and collected,” said U.S. women's national team strategic lead Alicia Sacramone Quinn, who was on the three-person selection committee.
She is well aware of the sacrifices others have made to get her to this point. The next six weeks are as much about those who have guided her as it is about anything else.
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