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After Earning Gold Alongside Simone Biles at 16, Hezly Rivera Grabs Another Special Opportunity With….. full story below 👇
She can’t even drive!” Simone Biles spoke about Hezly Rivera ahead of the 2024 Olympic Games. Yet, the 16-year-old Hezly Rivera, who was the youngest athlete at the Olympics ended up with a gold medal. However, the moment was bittersweet for the New Jersey native as she missed out on the women’s gymnastics team final—the first time since 2008 that a Team USA member didn’t compete in the final. But now she has another chance to shine.
As Biles and co. dazzled their way to all-around team gold in Paris, Hezly Rivera faced a tough moment. She couldn’t qualify for any individual events and as such was left out of the team final. Chellsie Memmel, guiding the team, admitted it was a tough call, saying, “It’s going to sting for a while,” but reassured Rivera, “You’re just as important a part of this team as everybody else.” Still, the young gymnast will get the opportunity to share the stage with Biles and her teammates during the Gold Over America Tour!
Rivera was announced for the 2024 tour as a new addition alongside Asher Hong, Shane Wiskus, Yul Moldaue, Shane Wiskus, and Ellie Black
The first edition of the tour happened in 2021, after the Tokyo Olympics. Following the incredible bounce back of USA gymnastics from silver in Tokyo to gold in Paris, the tour is set to kick off once again. Simone Biles and Co. will start in Oceanside, California, on September 16. However, this time the women’s gymnastics team will have company.
The 2021 Gold Over America Tour only featured female gymnasts. However, the Men’s U.S. Gymnastics team broke a 16-year-old medal drought at the Paris Olympics. So the team bronze medalists will also join the women. The latest update names Hezly Rivera, Ellie Black, Asher Hong, Yul Moldauer, and Shane Wiskus as part of the roster.
Besides these names, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, Brody Malone, Frederick Richard, and Paul Juda have already joined the line-up. Even gymnasts who didn’t make it to Paris have joined the tour as special guests. Popular names in national gymnastics such as Joscelyn Roberson, Katelyn Ohashi, and others will join the Olympians on stage. Unfortunately, Sunisa Lee and Team USA’s Superman, Stephen Nedoroscik are not on the list.
The Simone Biles-led extravaganza promises to be an “exhilarating display of jaw-dropping athleticism and high-energy choreography with an inspirational message of hope, strength, resilience, and determination.” It won’t be a short tour either. Each show will be about 110 minutes long and the Athleta-sponsored tour will visit 30 cities. However, the Gold Over America Tour promises more for dedicated fans than just giving them the chance to watch their icons perform live.