Rivera, the youngest athlete on Team USA, received a gold medal for the women’s gymnastics team finals, alongside decorated gymnasts Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles and Suni Lee.
“This was such an amazing experience and just being with the team to support them meant the world to me,” Rivera told NBC-DWF after receiving her gold medal in Paris. “It was so surreal.”
The 16-year-old New Jersey native did not compete as part of gymnastics team’s final competition, however. Rivera failed to qualify for the final based on her performance in two individual events — the bars and beam. Her overall score still helped the U.S. women’s gymnastics team advance and clinch the gold.
Rivera attends Inspire Academy, an online school that allows her the flexibility to balance a rigorous training schedule.
Like Rivera, Wilson competed in the first leg of the U.S. men’s 4×400-meter relay, helping the team to qualify for the final and making him the youngest male track and field athlete from the United States to win a gold medal at the Olympics.
Although Wilson, who is a rising junior at Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland, admitted he “didn’t run his best,” he praised his teammates including Rai Jefferson, Christopher Bailey and Vernon Norwood, who helped support him during the run for gold. And he returned the favor as he cheered them on from the stands of the Stade de France as they secured an Olympic-record victory.
“I did what people said was the impossible…” Wilson posted on Instagram. “I’m the youngest US male track athlete to receive a gold medal at the Olympics!”
The track and field sensation drew attention on social media when he shared his thoughts about the upcoming school year following his performance in Paris. He took to X and said, “Dang, I really got school in 2 and a half weeks #Gold #OlympicGamesParis.”
Jokes in reply immediately came flying in from fans after Wilson made this post.
“When the teacher asks for answers, raise your medal instead of your hand,” one fan said.
“Them ‘what did yall do over summer break’ conversations gonna hit different lmao,” another added.
Like her high school Team USA counterparts, Shackell’s preliminary round participation helped earn her and her teammates Olympic medals. She won a silver medal in the 4×200 freestyle relay with teammates including Katie Ledecky, Paige Madden and fellow high schooler Claire Weinstein. She also secured gold in the 4×100 medley relay with Regan Smith, Lilly King and Gretchen Walsh.
The 17-year-old, who will begin her senior year at Carmel High School this week, has made history as Carmel’s first female student to win an Olympic medal in swimming.
“I was just happy to be there and happy to go as fast as I can, and get the girls the next night a good spot,” Shackell said . “I’ve been wanting a gold medal or like any medal since I was little, like 8 years old and dreaming of that moment. To be able to hold it is crazy, I’ve been looking at it everyday.”
Shackell is also the second female high school student from Indiana to win an Olympic medal in swimming.
For Rivera, Wilson and Shackell, many fans anticipate their return to the Olympics podium in 2028, when the U.S. will host the Summer Games in Los Angeles, California. They’ve just got to finish their homework first.
Learn more about the other high school students we rooted for on Team USA this summer here .
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