Learning from mistakes: U.S. gymnast Hezly Rivera embraces 'mess-ups' to achieve Paris 2024 dream
After a scary slip at last month's Junior Worlds, the 14-year-old sees the experience as an opportunity for growth ahead of the upcoming Olympic year: “It makes me a better gymnast," she says.
Artistic Gymnastics
When U.S. gymnast Hezly Rivera’s hand slipped, causing a scary crash on a vault late last month at the 2023 Junior World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antalya, Türkiye, it could have rattled her confidence.
Rivera is just 14, turning 15 in June, and the junior Worlds was the biggest meet of her young career.
But instead of shaking her, Rivera says, it provided a lesson.
“I definitely can take everything, everything that I did and learn from it,” said Rivera in an exclusive interview last week at WOGA Gymnastics in Plano, Texas, where she trains with Anna and Valeri Liukin. “Even the mess-ups, I’m so grateful for those because it makes me a better gymnast. Every time I fall, I’m like, ‘Okay, don’t do what you did last time. Just focus on everything that you’re doing.’”
Rivera hopes those learnings and that approach will lead to her ultimate dream: the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
“I kind of like to forget about the past because it’s just the past,” she continued. “You can’t fix anything, so you have to move forward.”
And Rivera is doing just that.
She’s already back home and hard at work. The slip a somewhat distant memory to her, attributed to equipment differences between what is used in the U.S. and in Europe.
“I do think it was just the vault [table],” Rivera explained. “I didn’t get in my head. I came back and I did some vaults yesterday and they were perfectly fine. I think it was just the surface was a little slippery.”
Hezly Rivera: A bright future
Rivera left the junior Worlds with two silver medals – with the U.S. team and on the floor exercise.
The New Jersey-native entered the competition as a favourite to take the all-around crown.
Her 55.200 at a friendly meet between Team USA and Canada is the second highest all-around total of the year so far, according to thegymter.net, and although she missed the all-around final after receiving a 0.000 for her feet not landing first when she slipped on vault, she sees only positives from the experience.
“It was the best experience ever,” Rivera said with a smile. “I’ve just always wanted to compete at a World Championships since I was little and just achieving my goal was so amazing. I loved every minute of it. Unfortunately, I had the slip on vault, but I loved every single minute of it.”
Her athletic talent clearly on display, Rivera is trying not to get ahead of herself as the one year to mark to Paris 2024 approaches.
“I just want to go one meet at a time, and I’m working on some upgrades right now with my coaches. Hopefully, we can put those in, which will give me a bigger all-around score, so I’m more confidient going into meets,” Rivera said of her approach to the upcoming Olympic season. “I just want to go one step at a time because if I think about it too much, then I’ll overthink and everything will be everywhere.”
Hezly Rivera on training with Nastia Liukin’s parents and Gabby Douglas
Rivera started in gymnastics when she was 5.
Her origin story in the sport is a familiar one. She was attending a birthday party at a gym when she caught one of the coach’s eyes. They told her parents to think about enrolling her in classes.
The rest, as they say, is history.
She fell in love with the Olympic Games at age 10. She watched the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games over and over again.
Today, she sees a piece of both of those Games every day in the gym.
Anna and Valeri Liukin’s daughter, Nastia, won five Olympic medals at the 2008 Games in Beijing including all-around gold. Gabby Douglas, whom Valeri Liukin confirmed last month to NBC Sports is training at WOGA, is a three-time Olympic gold medal winner, including team and all-around crowns at London 2012.
That environment gives Rivera a daily dose of confidence.
“It’s amazing because I know I can definitely make it with all these people around me,” Rivera said her star-studded training base. “I never would have thought I would be training with Nastia’s parents and especially with Gabby! It’s crazy because she gives me so many tips and such encouragement.
“It’s nice to have an older gymnast who has experienced all of it,” she continued of Douglas. “They know everything. It’s amazing.”