“I never would have thought this would happen.” Hezly Rivera had the gymnastics community in awe as she nailed her routines at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June. She tied for first place on the balance beam and finished with a strong fifth position after two intense days of competition. But she was the one left spellbound after being named as one of the Final Five for Paris. The gymnast was set to debut on the world’s biggest stage alongside Creme de la Creme like Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee, and Jade Carey. This achievement marked the beginning of a challenging yet exciting journey.

The gymnast went from sitting on her couch watching her now-compatriots compete in 2020 to contesting with them. As exciting as this was, it was equally daunting to represent Team USA at the Games. Unfortunately, her debut stint abruptly ended when she couldn’t qualify for an individual event after the qualifier round. Even though she wasn’t in the final rotations, the 16-year-old left the French capital with a team all-around gold medal in tow. Despite this setback, Rivera’s Olympic experience fueled her determination for future success.

Hezly Rivera reflects on life after the 2024 Paris Olympics

Hezly Rivera couldn’t be happier about making the team. But as the dust settles on the Paris Games, the gymnast is ready to tackle her next big challenge—balancing academics with athletics. On October 25, she appeared in a casual sit-down interview with NBC’s Mary Omatiga. The host asked her how things have been recently and if she was working towards any goals. With a grimace, the gymnast confessed, “It’s a pretty complicated schedule.” What has been keeping her busy? 

The Olympian explained, “I’m in the gym from Monday through Thursday, and then I leave for the tour Thursday night, and I do tour Friday, Saturday, and then I come back on Sunday.” Even though the 16-year-old couldn’t compete in the final rotations at Bercy Arena, she joined Simone Biles and Co. as a new addition alongside Ellie Black, Shane Wiskus, Asher Hong, and Yul Moldaue on the Gold Over America Tour. When the announcement broke out, she shared it on her Instagram stories, excited to show off her skills. 

Hezly Rivera revealed that the day she travels is the only day she can relax. But when Monday comes around, she does it all over again. However, this was without considering academics in the mix! “I do school Monday through Friday, in between practices. So, I go practice Monday through Thursday from 8 to 11:30, and then I do school from 11:30 to 3, and then go back to practice from 3 to 6,” she continued. The gymnast realizes how complicated her schedule is and reiterates just that. 

The 16-year-old debuted as the youngest member of the entire U.S. team in Paris. In fact, Simone Biles touched upon this in jest by exclaiming, “She can’t even drive!” However, Rivera’s stint has helped her gain immense experience. The gymnast revealed that she can’t wait to return to the mat. “But my goals are to do World Championships in these gap years before the Olympics. So, 25, 26, and 27, and then my ultimate long-term goal would be the LA 2028 Olympics.” While we might have some time for that, what is the gymnast looking forward to next? 

The 16-year-old looks forward to her time at LSU

Hezly Rivera might only be a junior in high school. But she’s already got her hands full with a hectic schedule. However, she will soon add another thing to her list: college. The gymnast took her time by visiting several colleges around the country, looking for the perfect fit. It didn’t take her too long to make her pick.

On September 26, the 16-year-old shared the news with fans on Instagram: “I am so blessed & excited to announce that I have verbally committed to Louisiana State University (LSU🙃) on a full athletic scholarship.” Alongside her announcement were a few images from her official visit. In fact, one of the images included Olivia Dunne too. 

Before the official announcement, Hezly Rivera had posted a sneak peek of her visit on September 24. She thanked the gymnasts and coaches for showing her around. She couldn’t have picked a better weekend to visit. The LSU Tigers had just won their first-ever national championship. Could that have possibly swayed her to take the final call?

The Olympian even mentioned her loved ones in the heartwarming post, “Thank you to my family, coaches, teammates for helping me throughout this process.” But the 16-year-old is as excited as ever to begin this journey with her new team. She finally ends the update with “💜 GEAUX TIGERS 💜💛” After her stellar stint in the French capital, the gymnast has kept herself busy. We can’t help but hope to see her triumphantly return to the mat.