16-year-old Hezly Rivera is officially set to make her Olympic debut next month! Silencing the naysayers and quashing the doubts that prevailed over the wunderkind’s qualification chances, she proved herself every bit capable of being on the Olympic Team. By the end of Day 2 at the US Gymnastics Trials, Rivera had positioned herself fifth on the final grid, with an impressive 111.150 score flashing next to her name. Moreover, she rose to the top on the Balance Beam, clinching a gold with her unmatched 27.975 total.

Certainly, Rivera’s training is responsible for her ‘behind the scenes’ preparation for this event. Interestingly, the prodigy trains at a fully flex-worthy center, alongside some veterans of the sport. And back in 2023, she had shared how it nearly left her star-struck.

A peep inside 16-year-old gymnast’s training center

In her quest for top-class guidance, Rivera has been training at the World Olympic Gymnastics Academy (WOGA) in Texas. There, she hones her skills under the watchful eye of Valeri and Anna Liukin, both gymnastics coaches, and parents to Nastia, who won 5 medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. But the cherry on top was added in 2023, when elite gymnast Gabby Douglas returned to this renowned establishment.

Rivera told Olympics.com what it felt to experience that eminent ambiance internally. She said, “It’s amazing because I know I can definitely make it with all these people around me.” The rising icon was apparently pumped by a fresh wave of confidence in their presence. And this is something she hadn’t thought of in her wildest dreams. She revealed, “I never would have thought I would be training with Nastia’s parents and especially with Gabby! It’s crazy because she gives me so many tips and such encouragement.”

Triple Olympic gold medal winner, Douglas herself is a household name in the sport. From being titled the all-around champion at the London Games, to maneuvering through other highs in her career, the 28-year-old has seen it all. This puts the maven in a position to pass on her wisdom to the budding gymnasts. Rivera, being appreciative of this aspect, once said, “It’s nice to have an older gymnast who has experienced all of it.” Moreover, thrilled by the profundity of their knowledge, she even expressed, “They know everything. It’s amazing.”

Be it absorbing every ounce of wisdom from the pros, or fusing it with her own craft, the training has apparently worked well for the New Jersey native. With each passing competition, she has exhibited great skills on the mat, which has reflected in her recent track record.

Hezly Rivera’s on-mat successes

Back in 2023, at the Junior World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, all eyes were on 14-year-old Hezly Rivera, who had just crashed on the vault after a minor hitch. Nonetheless, nothing could hold back her spirit. She soon stood atop the all-around and balance beam scoreboards at the 2023 Winter Cup. Keeping her victory streak unbroken, she also clinched the all-around, uneven bars, and balance beam golds at the 2023 Xfinity US gymnastics Championships.

Entering 2024, Rivera exhibited equivalent enthusiasm. She entered the season with a bang, bagging an all-around bronze and a balance beam gold at the 2024 Winter Cup. Her prowess in balance beam was now open for the world to see, as she had defended her gold for the second consecutive year in Louisville.

Moreover, after two days of relentless competition at the 2024 US Gymnastics Championships at Fort Worth, she ended sixth all-around, even surpassing Olympic floor exercise gold medalist Jade Carey. Now for her to garner such significant results in a star-studded contest, alongside some of the masterclass contenders in the league was too good to go unnoticed. And now, she has sealed her spot on the Olympic roster by exhibiting her finesse in Minneapolis.

Whatever her wholesome strategy devised, it has surely worked for Rivera. And now, she is just days away from living her great Olympic dream. Only time will tell if she can bring additional prestige to her nation and her training club by getting a podium rank in Paris. What do you think of this prodigy?