Hezly Rivera showcased her talent at the U.S. gymnastics championships in New Orleans, leading the competition with an impressive score of 55.600. Her strong performance included four steady routines, positioning her firmly to secure her first national title on Sunday. At just 17 years old, Rivera is the youngest member of the gold medal-winning team from the 2024 Olympics and has successfully bounced back from a less favorable outing at last month’s U.S. Classic.
Rivera topped the balance beam with a score of 14.350 and recorded the second-highest score of 14.000 on the floor exercise. This performance stands as a promising start for a very young group of gymnasts as they prepare for the upcoming world championships this fall and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Close behind Rivera is Joscelyn Roberson, an Olympic alternate and rising sophomore from Arkansas, who scored 55.400. Roberson, who trained with two-time Olympic champion Simone Biles, dazzled audiences with her floor routine, overtaking four-time world championship medalist Leanne Wong, who sits at 55.100.
The trio of Rivera, Roberson, and Wong enters the final competition far ahead of the rest of the field, which has an average age of just under 18. This marks a notable shift from the previous Olympic cycle leading to Paris, when Biles and a cohort of seasoned gymnasts dominated the spotlight.
The emerging talent in this year’s championship highlights a new generation of gymnasts ready to make their mark on the sport. Rivera’s impressive performance not only sets the stage for potential future success but also inspires younger athletes to aspire to greatness in gymnastics.