Team USA is down one gymnast as Hezly Rivera failed to earn a high score during the qualifiers round of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 16-year-old made her debut at this year’s games alongside her teammates Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jade Carey, and Jordan Chiles. As the national team advances to the final, the youngest USA Olympian will not participate, having earned a low score of 12.633 during the beam round and 13.900 on the uneven bars.
Despite her 26th and 13th place finishes, which were not high, her scores helped advance her teammates into the final. On Tuesday, July 30, the group won the gold medal, meaning that the young gymnast, though not participating in the final, received her first Olympic medal.
Hezly has received support from her teammates, especially before getting to Paris. Simone Biles showed her sisterly instincts before the games at the Olympic qualifications, saying, “We’re definitely going to guide her through the ropes. We’ve been there before, we’ve done it. She’s young; she can’t even drive. Should we teach her how to drive before she gets to Paris? She’s so young, she’s so cute, she’s so smart, she’s beautiful. We’re really proud of her for making this team, and we’re really excited to kinda show her the ropes. She doesn’t have to do it alone; she has four veterans who have been there before.”
@justwomenssports Simone Biles talks about 16 year old Hezly Rivera making the Olympic team #olympics #gymnastics #simonebiles #funny (Via @Gymnastics Now)
For the first-time Olympian, who has been dreaming of this moment since she was seven, she told Us Weekly, “They’re gonna be such great role models and mentors… Especially for my first Olympic Games, just having people who’ve already been there before and have experience.”
She added, “It’s so important to support your friends and the team… Even though you are competing against each other, it’s great to have a bond. To have help and to help other gymnasts, I think that’s what’s great about this sport.”
Though she didn’t place high in her first Olympics, Hezly walks away a winner alongside her teammates, who led the US to victory in the gymnastics competition.