This girl from the Garden State has her sights set on a gold medal.
Hesley Rivera, a teenager from Oradell, New Jersey, unexpectedly earned a spot on the U.S. women’s gymnastics team after placing fifth all-around at the Olympic Trials in Minnesota last month.
Rivera just turned 16, making her the youngest member of a team of Olympic veterans in their 20s that also includes four-time gold medalist Simone Biles, 27, and 2021 individual all-around gold medalist Sunisa Lee, 21.
Hesley was hardly a favorite to win, but she took advantage of injuries to fellow young stars Skye Blakely (19) and Kayla DiCello (20) to take the win. She earned 27.975 points in both balance beam events, beating both Biles and Lee on the latter and sharing the top score with Jocelyn Roberson.
“It feels very surreal,” Hesley said. He spoke on NBC’s “TODAY” show It’s a moment I’ve dreamed of since I was 8 years old. “All my hard work has paid off. I’m very excited.”
Biles and the other women on the team, including Jordan Chiles, 23, and Jade Carey, 24, have made Hesley feel welcome and protective, and have already hosted team lunches, pool get-togethers and a Fourth of July celebration.
“She’s so young. She can’t drive! Should I teach her how to drive before we get to Paris?” Biles affectionately joked about Hesley during an interview with “Today”‘s Hoda Kotb.
The Olympic rhythmic gymnast showed natural talent from an early age: Her father, Henry Rivera, 44, recalled taking her to a birthday party at a gymnastics gym when she was 5, where she attracted attention with her effortless cartwheels and somersaults.
“Coaches approached us,” Henry told the Post, “and they said, ‘Bring her in.’ She was selected for the team at her first audition, which is very unusual.”
She quickly fell in love with the sport. ENA Gymnastics in Paramus.
“All she ever wanted was to be in the gym,” Henry said.
She ended up training with stars four years her senior, including Instagram phenom and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Olivia Dunn, 21, a future college star attending Louisiana State University. Collin Bunagan, star gymnast at the University of Alabama,twenty one.
“Haseley was the smallest of the group but she was able to keep up with the others. She was always very special and her eyes still sparkle,” Jennifer Zappa, head coach and co-owner of ENA gymnastics, told The Post.
When she turned eight, she began homeschooling so she could practice more intensively.
“We said, ‘This is it. This is our life. There’s no turning back,'” recalled Henry, a computer engineer.
Two and a half years ago, the family, including her mother, Heidi Lewis, brother Hanley Rivera and sister Karheris Abreu, moved from New Jersey to Plano, Texas, so Hesley could be coached by Valery Liukin, father of five-time Olympic medalist Nastia Liukin and coach of three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas.
At one point, Henry gave his daughter a copy of Kobe Bryant’s book, “Mamba Mentality: How I Played,” inspired by the late Los Angeles Laker’s legendary drives.
“She always tried harder than anyone else. Her mentality was almost a ‘Mamba mentality’ – if you want something, go for it. It’s never going to be handed to you.” [to you]”Especially being Latino,” said Henry, who is from the Dominican Republic.
He and his family have made all sorts of sacrifices to support Hesley, but he was extremely emotional at the trials, with cameras panning to him wiping away tears from the stands as it was announced that his daughter had been selected for the national team.
“I couldn’t stand it,” he said. “We’re still pinching ourselves… I told her no one can take this away from you.”
