Hezly Rivera Sets Sights on LA28 as Olympic Champion Embraces Next Gymnastics Challenge

Hezly Rivera’s Olympic journey may have started at Paris 2024, but the young American gymnast believes there is still much more to come. Rivera was only 16 when she earned a place on the United States women’s gymnastics team for Paris 2024. Competing alongside established stars Simone Biles, Sunisa Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey, Rivera became part of the American squad that captured the women’s team gold medal. Now, with the next Summer Olympics taking place on home soil in Los Angeles in 2028, Rivera is focused on developing her gymnastics, staying healthy and becoming an even stronger competitor. Rivera Builds Confidence After Injury Setback Rivera’s progress has not been completely straightforward. An ankle injury prevented her from competing at the 2025 World Championships, interrupting a season in which she had established herself as one of the strongest gymnasts in the United States. During her Olympics interview, Rivera explained that returning from injury required her to rebuild not only physically but mentally. She focused on returning to the basics, improving technique and gradually recovering the confidence needed to perform difficult skills under competition pressure. Her response showed encouraging signs early in 2026. At the 2026 Winter Cup, Rivera won the senior women’s all-around title as well as gold medals on balance beam and floor exercise, demonstrating that she remained a major force in American gymnastics. American Cup Offers Taste of LA28 Future Rivera also returned to international-style competition at the 2026 American Cup in Henderson, Nevada, where the United States competed in a mixed-team format. Team USA finished second behind China, with Rivera contributing on balance beam and floor exercise. She spoke positively about competing alongside the American men and the extra energy created by the mixed-team environment. The experience carried additional significance because a mixed-team gymnastics competition is set to be part of the Olympic programme at Los Angeles 2028. For Rivera, competing in that type of environment provides an early glimpse of what could await her if she earns another Olympic appearance. From Olympic Rookie to Team USA Leader Rivera’s position within American gymnastics has changed rapidly. At Paris 2024, she was the youngest member of a team filled with experienced Olympic champions. Less than two years later, she has begun taking on the role of the more experienced athlete when competing alongside younger American gymnasts. Rivera said in March that she has grown considerably since her first Olympics while recognizing that she still has plenty of room to develop. That experience could become increasingly important as Team USA begins building toward Los Angeles. Rivera strengthened her status by winning the 2025 U.S. all-around championship, along with national titles on balance beam and floor exercise and a share of the uneven bars crown. LA28 Remains the Long-Term Target There are still two years before the Olympic flame arrives in Los Angeles, and the American women’s gymnastics team that will compete there is far from decided. For Rivera, the priority will be maintaining her health, continuing to increase the difficulty and consistency of her routines and performing strongly at major national and international competitions. Her journey since Paris has already included an Olympic gold medal, a national championship, injury setbacks and a successful return to competition. But LA28 represents something different: the possibility of competing at an Olympic Games in her home country, this time not as the youngest newcomer on the team but potentially as one of its leaders. At just 18, Rivera still has plenty of her gymnastics story left to write. If her development continues, Hezly Rivera could be one of the biggest American gymnastics names to watch on the road to Los Angeles 2028.