Team USA’s gymnastics squad dazzled at the Paris Olympics, clinching the gold medal as led by Simone Biles. The women’s team made a comeback performance after they missed their chance in the Tokyo Olympics. Despite their stellar performance, one standout player of the team didn’t get a chance to compete at the Games.

Hezly Rivera’s journey to the Paris Olympics has been inspiring. Hezly has already accomplished so much at just 16 years. Even though the youngster had a rough start at the trials, she secured her spot on Team USA for the Olympics. Despite her achievements, including her being the junior champion in the past, she was taken along as an alternate for the team.

Hezly might not have made it to the Olympic finals, but her journey in NCAA gymnastics has been impressive. Despite not being in the Olympic lineup, she’s been a standout in college gymnastics with her grit and skill. One stumble on her path isn’t going to call the shots on her athletic journey. She made it onto the U.S. National Team, clinched several titles, and took home a gold for all-around from the 2022 US National Championships.

As an accomplished NCAA gymnast, she shared her feelings about her time with Team USA at the Paris Olympics. “This was just an amazing experience, you know, and just being with the team and supporting them meant the world to me … It was so surreal,” she said. Her words are filled with the pride and joy simply by being a part of the team. She cherished every moment, supporting her teammates all the way, which shows her love for the sport. Hezly’s passion for gymnastics has never been more intense, even her absence from the Olympic finals became a major topic of conversation among fans.

Support and criticism over Hezly Rivera’s omission from Olympic finals

Hezly’s story is one of determination and strength as she didn’t let this setback pull her down. The decision during the team final to keep her out of the lineup caused widespread discussions among fans, given how hard Hezly had worked to get there. One fan tweeted, “Honestly still not over USA qualifying 5+ points from the next team & deciding not to use Hezly for anything in TFs 😐 Chelsie & Alicia made zero good decisions for line ups other than 2022. Really hope they make better decisions this quad 👍.” Even though Hezly had the potential, the coaches didn’t allow her to perform in the finals. The team was able to qualify comfortably, which highlighted that her not performing in the Olympics was a bad take by the coaches.

The way Rivera’s situation was being handled resulted in disappointment amongst the whole community. One fan expressed frustration over this, stating, “And telling the media Hezly (a 16-year-old) will just have to ‘get over it’.” Another added on, “I will forever die on the hill that Leanne should’ve been the 5th member”. Fans criticized how athlete’s rightful place in the lineup was ignored while questioning the overall choices made for the team. Leanne Wong’s talents were also overlooked the same way despite her career being spectacular. Despite being so close to her goals, Wong has faced a unique challenge when it came time to step onto the Olympic stage.

On the contrary, some were in support of the decision. One fan responded, “They took the highest scoring team. I don’t understand how people are made. If Simone didn’t do finals, they had the best 3. They 💯 made the right decision.” The team’s strategy made sense as they made the call to head with a strong lineup. Another commented, “They pulled Jade from floor who was the reigning gold medalist. There was a strategy and they consistently applied it. Nothing wrong with that!” Jade Carey, three-time Olympic medalist, experienced a fall during her floor routine at the trials and therefore she was removed from the official team group. Even though hopes of some were dashed, the team believed it was the right call for success.

Despite the chaos, the time Hezly Rivera spent with Team USA has just fueled her drive to climb even higher. So, what’s next for Hezly as she keeps chasing her gymnastics dreams?