Hezly Rivera was not able to join her Team USA teammates to compete in the team final on July 30, but it didn’t tarnish her experience at the Paris Olympics.
The 16-year-old was not selected to compete for the U.S. women’s gymnastics team in any of the four events in the team final on July 30, but was able to watch as her teammates brought home the gold medal.
Rivera, wearing her gold medal around her neck, told TODAY show co-anchors Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie that she was proud to be part of the world’s best team.
“It’s so surreal being here with these amazing group of girls and I’m so proud of this team and everything that we’ve worked so hard for,” Rivera said.
Hezly Rivera ‘Blessed’ to Compete for Team USA
Rivera’s chance to compete at the Paris Olympics ended quickly. She was not only left out of the team final but also did not score high enough in the qualifying round in either of her events to qualify for the individual finals, finishing with a 12.633 on the balance beam and a 13.900 on the uneven bars.
But Rivera said she was thrilled to be part of the team that Simone Biles dubbed the “Golden Girls,” recalling how she first met the 27-year-old gymnast when she was a child and Biles paid a visit to her gym.
Getting to compete alongside Biles was a dream come true, Rivera said.
“I never would have thought that would happen, being on the same team as Simone,” Rivera said. “I’ve always looked up to her and just, not even just competing with her but training with her as well has been such an amazing experience and I’m so blessed to be on this team.”
Rivera later took to social media to share her excitement over being a gold medalist, sharing a series of images of her teammates celebrating and another of herself kissing her gold medal while posing in front of the Eiffel Tower.
“AHHH glory to God,” she wrote in the post on X. “so proud of this team. OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALISTS”
‘Difficult’ Decision to Leave Hezly Rivera Out of Lineup
Chellsie Memmel, the technical lead for Team USA, said earlier in the week that it was an “incredibly difficult” decision to leave Rivera off the team roster. But Memmel stressed that Rivera was just as much a part of the team as anyone else and that the gold medal was just as much an accomplishment for her as the other four who competed in the team final.
“I’m so proud of her and everything that she’s done,” Memmel said, via the Dallas Morning News. “And that’s exactly what I told her. I said she was just as important a part of this team as everyone else, and it’s gonna sting.”
Rivera did admit that it felt a bit bittersweet to make it to the Paris Olympics but be left off the final roster.
“In a way, I was sad,” Rivera told the Dallas Morning News. “But I’m also so happy to be supporting Team USA. You know, this is just such a surreal experience and I’m so happy no matter what happens. And even though I wasn’t able to compete, seeing these girls makes me so happy, and winning this gold . . .
“I’m still a part of this team, and I love competing with them, and I love all the girls.”
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