Olympic gold medalist Hezly Rivera won her second consecutive U.S. women's gymnastics title on Sunday, solidifying her status as a leader in the sport ahead of the 2028 Olympics. The 18-year-old Texan, who was a breakout star at the Paris Olympics, overcame a recent hamstring injury to post a two-day total of 111.950, more than a point ahead of runner-up Claire Pease. Rivera became the first American woman not named Simone Biles to win back-to-back national titles since Jordyn Wieber in 2011-2012.
Rivera, who had a fall on uneven bars on Thursday, bounced back with a strong performance on balance beam and floor exercise to claim the title. Her coach, Anna Liukin, described her as "motherly" for her supportive role among younger gymnasts. Rivera said she embraces her leadership role and hopes to inspire the next generation.
"I am comfortable with it," Rivera said. "And I just love kind of being a leader in a way."
Rivera is now aiming to make her first world championship team in the fall, after missing last year's selection due to an ankle injury. Despite her hamstring not being fully healed, she remains confident in her mental strength.
"I think it just shows how strong I am mentally," she said. "Because physically everything's there. But the mental aspect of things is definitely where it's at."
Claire Pease finished second, followed by Charleigh Bullock in third and Reese Esponda in fourth. Jade Carey, a two-time Olympic gold medalist, won the vault title and finished fifth overall. Carey praised Rivera's performance, saying, "Back-to-back national champion is something that she should be really proud of."