One year after the Paris Olympics, New Orleans transforms into the gymnastics capital of the world. From Thursday through Sunday, the Smoothie King Center is hosting the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, where 140 athletes across men’s and women’s senior and junior divisions will battle for national titles and coveted spots on this year’s world championship teams. The competition began Thursday with the men’s prelims, then rolled into the women’s on Friday.
Headlining the women’s field is the lone representative from the gold medal-winning U.S. team in Paris — a 17-year-old phenom who committed to LSU last September. And she’s already turning heads, with Olympic champion Jade Carey, fresh off her own two-medal performance in Paris, showering her with praise as the next big name to watch.
Well, the 17-year-old is none other than Hezly Rivera. And her plan? Enroll at LSU after chasing gold at the 2028 Olympics. For now, she steps into the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships as one of the clear favorites.
“I am not adding any extra pressure on myself,” said the New Jersey native on Wednesday. “I’m just going to do what I do in the gym. I know normal is enough.” And yet, her performances in New Orleans have already made headlines. She has won night one of the women’s event with a score of 55.600. Proof that her “normal” is nothing short of extraordinary.
And now, Jade Carey has a message for Rivera.
On August 7, Jade Carey shared a clip of Hezly Rivera’s performance on her IG story with a simple, heartfelt message. “Go Hez!! .”
Carey, 24, has built an illustrious career, winning gold on floor at the Tokyo 2021 Games, earning two Pac-12 Gymnast of the Year honors, and competing while training for both the U.S. Olympic Trials and Paris 2024. Now, she’s bringing more good news, announcing Wednesday that she’ll return for her fourth and final season at Oregon State in 2025.
But here, Rivera’s Xfinity performance was truly stunning. And why not?
On Day 1 of the Senior Women’s competition, Hezly Rivera came out swinging. She opened on balance beam with a brilliant 14.050, prompting sports columnist Scott Rabalais to write, “Olympic gold medalist Hezly Rivera, committed to #LSU, takes the early lead on balance beam with an exceptional 14.050 on the open-ended elite scoring scale.” After an inquiry, her score climbed to 14.350 — and The Gymternet quickly posted, “Hezly Rivera’s beam score updated to a 14.350, pushes her further ahead in the rotation one lead!”
By the second rotation, Tyler Wong reported Rivera at 28.350, holding the lead over Leanne Wong’s 27.550. And through three rotations, the LSU commit stood tall at 42.150, firmly in control.
And while Rivera is making headlines, Carey is gearing up for her own return — and her words make that clear.
“OSU has been more than a university — it’s been my home, my family, and my source of strength,” she told the crowd. “I’m excited to keep competing, to push my limits, and to chase excellence with the best team by my side.” Her words carried the emotion of an athlete who isn’t just returning for a season; she’s coming back to where her heart is.
But was Rivera’s mindset before Xfinity really that confident?
Hezly Rivera’s reflections on growth
Fresh off Olympic team gold, Hezly Rivera heads into the U.S. Championships with a sharpened mindset to match her physical skills. “When I feel most confident, I perform the best,” said Rivera.
After a 12th-place tie in the all-around at last month’s U.S. Classic, she’s been training her mind to thrive under pressure — and it’s paying off. “I’ve been feeling way more confident since Classic and more prepared overall,” she added, sounding every bit ready for a big showing.
And Rivera credits recent training simulations for sharpening her focus ahead of New Orleans. “We do pressure sets, kind of like salute routines,“ she mentioned. By envisioning herself in competition without piling on extra pressure, she’s building the mindset she hopes will carry seamlessly onto the championship stage.
Now, she’s shining at the championships — but the real verdict comes Sunday in the women’s finals.
The post Jade Carey’s Two Words Capture Emotion After Olympic Teammate Draws Praise for Xfinity Performance appeared first on EssentiallySports.
