Hezly Rivera is ready to represent Latinas at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The 16-year-old gymnast is the newest and youngest member of this year’s U.S. Olympic women’s gymnastics team. And Remezcla got a chance to speak with Rivera about the upcoming Olympics, her faith, and what it means to represent the Dominican Republic on one of the world’s largest stages.
From a very young age, Rivera knew that making it onto Team USA’s gymnastics team was everything she dreamed of.
“This is everything that my inner child ever wanted. Being able to represent Team USA at the Olympics is amazing,” Rivera said. “They called my name and I was shocked! I was like oh my god, my name? It was such a surreal experience because I’ve worked very hard to get here and I’ve always wanted to be an Olympian and be at the Olympics to represent Team USA.”
The Latina gymnast with Dominican roots, says it’s an honor to be representing the Dominican Republic and Latinas overall at the 2024 Paris Olympics. “I just want to help the community grow,” Rivera explains. “I just want Latinas to be able to look up to me and be like I want to be like her when I grow up and I want people to look up to me and say, I want to be like her because she’s Latina.”
In 2016, Laurie Hernandez became the second Puerto Rican gymnast to represent Team USA at the Rio Olympics and she quickly became a mentor to Rivera. “After trials I talked to her for a little bit. She’s the sweetest person ever and hearing her talking about me and about me being Latina, it’s so crazy to me because I never thought this would happen.”
Rivera also credits her older sister, Carhelis, for her early involvement in gymnastics.
“My sister used to tell my mom that she should put me in gymnastics because I was already doing cartwheels and handstands all over the house. It’s pretty dangerous to be doing that all over the house so my sister was like, you should put her in gymnastics so she can be in a safe spot and she can do whatever she wants and hopefully make it far.”
When it comes to her heritage, the young gymnast says being part of the 200-percenter generation, those who were born in the United States yet proudly represent their Latin American heritage, is a privilege and she “definitely feels like she represents both countries.”
“It’s amazing because my parents are both from the Dominican Republic and I was born here but you know I have a Dominican background. I definitely feel like I represent both countries. I am very proud to be Latina and American. So I can represent both countries at the same time. It’s such an honor especially because my parents came from there, they immigrated here.”
Rivera, who practices Christianity, also shared that her faith keeps her mind focused as she continues hitting these new milestones and experiences like the Paris Olympics. “I like to pray a lot with my family before we leave and before I go to compete or anything like that. It helps me get in a good headspace and it calms me down. It’s kind of essential. I listen to Christian music. My favorite artist is Katy Nichole because she is very uplifting. She cheers me up and she calms me down.”
With the Olympics only days away, the 16-year-old is currently the youngest member of all sports in Team USA. She is joining a gymnastic team of Olympic veterans that includes Simone Biles, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, and Suni Lee. But even before the Olympics, Rivera had a connection with her teammate Biles.
Back in 2016, Biles stopped by the gym where 7-year-old Rivera was taking classes and the two posed for a photo together. “When I was taking that picture with her, I never would have thought that we would be on the same Olympic team as her, so it’s just so amazing that I am so blessed to be here and have this opportunity.”
The Paris 2024 Olympics will take place in France from July 26 to August 11th, 2024.
