Do you remember what you were doing at 16? You probably focused on assignments, hanging out with your friends, and figuring out what you want to be in life. But not Hezly Rivera. Since she was five years old, the gymnast always knew what she wanted to do. And what do you know? Eleven years later, she became the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic gymnastics squad, who bagged a shiny gold amid thunderous cheers at the Bercy Arena. 

Sure, she might just be 16 years old. But she is already climbing her way up the ranks. The Olympian has racked up a team silver and a junior all-around national title at the Junior World Championships. However, it is now time for her to take charge of her athletic career and set ambitious goals. Her accolades caught the eye of the bigwigs in the US college gymnastics circuit, and she finally committed to LSU for the upcoming NCAA season. How does she feel about what the future holds for her?

Hezly Rivera has an ironclad plan

After making a stunning debut at the Paris Olympics, the gymnast looked forward to getting back to normalcy. However, she joined her compatriots in Simone Biles’ Gold Over America tour and kept up with a few appearances. While she looks forward to relaxing over the holidays, she can’t wait to compete in the NCAA for reigning national champions Louisiana State University. On the other hand, she isn’t too sure how to balance collegiate gymnastics yet. But she knows who to turn to! 

“I might ask [my Olympic teammates] Jade [Carey] and Jordan [Chiles] about it, though, because they’ve been through the same things,” the Olympian admitted. The gymnast visited numerous colleges to find the ideal fit for her, and she made her decision on September 26. The 16-year-old announced her verbal commitment to LSU on a full athletic scholarship on Instagram. She even shared a carousel of images from the visit. 

But even though she put her best foot forward on the world’s grandest stage, there’s one thing that still puzzles Hezly Rivera. She is currently in the US National Gymnastics camp, working on elevating her gymnastics moves to the next level. However, with her more experienced teammates taking breaks from the sport or returning to the NCAA, the youngest member of the Final Five now has a new tag. “I actually didn’t even think about being like a veteran at camp, but it was definitely cool to be back,” she admitted.

The 16-year-old has enjoyed a short break since returning to the States. So, does that mean she has missed being on the mat? The gymnast reiterated that she didn’t feel any different. It was just a normal working camp for her. Although she highlighted that she enjoyed seeing the girls again because she couldn’t see them due to her Olympics and Gold Over America Tour. While she is now preparing for the NCAA season, what led her to commit to Louisiana State University?

It was an easy choice for the 16-year-old

Hezly Rivera had been on a couple of official college tours in the summer. But when she had to pick her final choice, it almost seemed too easy. During a casual sit-down interview with NBC’s Mary Omatiga, the Olympian was asked if something in particular about the program stood out to her. And she didn’t hold back. “So for me, I chose LSU because it just felt like a family, and seeing how the coaches treat their gymnasts and coach them meant everything to me,” the gymnast confessed. 

The atmosphere in the university was so comfortable, the 16-year-old couldn’t help but compare it to home. In fact, it was this culture that stood out to her, drawing the Olympian to LSU. However, this wasn’t the only thing that helped make the choice. LSU’s very own star athlete, Olivia Dunne, played an equally essential role too. Remember how we mentioned the gymnast’s Instagram announcement? Well, Livvy couldn’t help but cheer her on.

Olivia Dunne shared the news, captioned, “Olympics [to] LSU! Let’s geauxxx [Hezly Rivera]!” If that isn’t wholesome enough, the 22-year-old shared an adorable picture of the duo calling the Olympian “Baby Tig.” We get it now. Who wouldn’t want to be around that energy? The Tigers even won their first NCAA championship earlier this year, so this seems like the perfect choice for Rivera. 

Livvy is currently preparing for her final year with LSU. So this means that the 16-year-old gets to soak up all the tips and tricks from the seasoned athlete. With the current landscape of college sports evolving, this would be the perfect opportunity for her to achieve success with her tenure at LSU. Are you excited to watch the gymnast don the purple and gold next season?