Hezly Rivera: 5 facts about the gymnast who is the youngest member of Team USA at the Paris Olympics

For the Paris Olympics this summer, For The Win is helping you get to know some of the star Olympians competing on the world’s biggest stage. We’re highlighting 15 Team USA athletes in the 15 days leading up to the Opening Ceremony. Up next is Hezly Rivera.

In the long line of stars produced by USA Gymnastics, Hezly Rivera is next in the queue, and she may be sticking around for quite awhile.

After qualifying for Paris by tying Joscelyn Roberson for the highest overall beam score (27.975) at June trials in Minneapolis, the New Jersey native is set to make a run for the podium in her first Olympics.

Here’s a bit more about her.

1. Hezly Rivera is the youngest Olympian on Team USA

At 16 years, 26 days old when she qualified, Rivera is the youngest member of Team USA’s Olympic delegation across all sports. She’s 11 years younger than Simone Biles.

2. Rivera won two silver medals at the 2023 World Junior Championship

One for team performance and one for her floor exercise.

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3. Rivera trains with Valeri and Anna Liukin

If those names sound familiar — and they should — it’s because they are the parents and coaches of former USA Olympics gymnastics star Nastia Liukin who run the famed WOGA Gymnastics in Dallas.

4. Her career started because of a birthday party at age 5

According to Olympics.com, Rivera got her start in the sport by attending a gymnastics-themed birthday party of a friend that was held in a local gym.

She performed so well that the coaches reportedly approached Rivera’s parents afterwards to urge her to continue by trying out for their team. Barely a decade later, she’s an Olympian.

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5. Women’s gymnastics at the Olympics begins on July 28

You’ll have to wake up pretty early on Sunday, July 28 to catch the start of Rivera’s run in Paris. The women’s team qualifiers begin at 3:30 a.m. ET. Something tells us this burgeoning star will be worth the extra cups of coffee to see live.