There shall be almost 600 Americans rocking the purple, white and blue of their beloved nation over the following couple of weeks in Paris, France.
The most well-known of all could also be a gymnast, too, as Simone Biles will look so as to add to her jaw-dropping variety of Olympic medals this summer time.
But it’s price taking a second to shift one’s eyes over a bit.
Yes, Simone Biles is essentially the most adorned and awe-inspiring gymnast of all-time. But her teammate simply made a little bit of her personal historical past.
At 16 years outdated, Hezly Rivera is the youngest U.S. Olympian on the 2024 Summer Games.
The New Jersey-born athlete secured her spot on the extremely aggressive girls’s group courtesy of a gold medal-winning steadiness beam efficiency on the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Minnesota final month.
Along with Biles, Rivera is a part of a squad at this yr’s Olympics that features 2020 Tokyo veterans Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, and Jade Carey.
Pretty darn spectacular firm for Hezly Rivera.
“It feels incredible — this doesn’t have to happen too often, so I’m very excited to be the youngest team member of the group,” Rivera instructed Good Morning America after qualifying for the group.
“I felt so happy and super excited because this is what I’ve been working for my whole life. So for it to finally come true is so exciting and so surreal.”
Rivera began her profession at 5 years outdated, doing cartwheels round the home… identical to so many toddlers across the globe.
She ultimately moved to North Texas to work with legendary coach Valeri Liukin (father to 2008 Olympic gold medalist Nastia Liukin) at WOGA Gymnastics.
“My strengths that I bring to Team USA are my bars and my beam because I think my form sets me apart,” she beforehand instructed People Magazine, including:
“I feel I’m a really clear gymnast. I’ve some problem — clearly not the best problem — however I’m working my method up there and I feel that my execution actually units me aside.
Rivera has mentioned she is coaching for the “vault, bars, beam and floor,” though she gained’t know which occasions she’ll be competing in on the Olympics till nearly the final second.
It’s clear this teenager shall be prepared for something, nonetheless.
“I need to trust myself and trust my training, because my muscle memory is there and it’s very strong,” she additionally instructed GMA.
“I simply must do what I do within the health club.
“And I know everything will be perfect.”