How old is Hezly Rivera? Age and more to know about budding USA Olympic gymnastics star

Youth is nothing out of the ordinary on the USA women's gymnastics team, but the U.S. brought an unusual amount of experience to Paris. Simone Biles and Sunisa Lee both have all-around Olympic gold medals on their resume, while Jade Carey and Jordan Chiles both competed in Tokyo three years ago.

The exception is Hezly Rivera.

Rivera is the only member of the team without Olympic experience, earning her way onto the roster and becoming the youngest American athlete in Paris.

While Team USA will be relying heavily on its more experienced gymnasts in some of the most critical competitions at the Summer Games, Rivera appears to be here to stay.

Here's what you need to know about Rivera's age and background.

MORE: Updated USA gymnastics medal tracker from 2024 Olympics

How old is Hezly Rivera?

Rivera is 16 years old, making her easily the youngest member of the U.S. Olympic women's gymnastics team. She won't turn 17 until June 2025.

Rivera wasn't even eligible for senior competition until earlier this year, but she took advantage of the opportunities she was given. Rivera earned a third-place all-around finish at the Winter Cup in February, and she tied for first on the balance beam at the Olympic Trials in June.

Here's how Rivera's age compares to her Olympic teammates:

The experience surrounding Rivera in Paris could serve to benefit her in the biggest competition of her life, something Biles echoed after the roster was finalized.

"We’re really excited to, kind of, show her the ropes," Biles told NBC's TODAY ahead of the Olympics. "And at least she doesn’t have to do it alone. She has four veterans that have been there before."

Rivera met Biles when she was only seven years old. Because of the age difference, Biles was already 19 and considered the best gymnast in the world at the time. Eight years later, the two are teammates at the Olympics and aiming to extend the USA's history of gymnastics success.

MORE: Why Hezly Rivera isn't participating in Olympics team final

Where is Hezly Rivera from?

Rivera was born in Hackensack, N.J. and grew up in Oradell, N.J. Her father is originally from the Dominican Republic.

The Rivera family relocated to Texas in 2022 with gymnastics in mind. The move allowed Rivera to be coached by famed coach Valeri Liukin in hopes of molding the young gymnast into an Olympian. The commitment from her family proved to be crucial, as the 16-year-old is now the youngest Olympian from the U.S. delegation.

Rivera first became involved with gymnastics when she was only five years old, and she started to emerge on the national stage in 2022 with a strong showing at the Winter Cup. Once 2024 passes, all eyes will be on a return to the Olympics in front of American fans in 2028.