“I think I’m the underdog,” Hezly Rivera admitted just before heading to the Paris Olympics. At just 16, she went from being relatively unknown to suddenly joining the ranks of Team USA, competing right alongside legends like Simone Biles, Jade Carey, Jordan Chiles, and Suni Lee. For any young gymnast, that’s the ultimate dream come true. Hezly has been obsessed with the Olympics since she was little, rewatching the 2008 and 2012 Games and picturing herself out there on the floor.

And now, her dream is fully in motion. Not only did she compete, but she also helped bring home a gold medal with the U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team. Life’s moving fast for Hezly—she recently committed to LSU and is also part of the Gold Over America Tour. The real thrill, though, came when she competed alongside her idols—a total “fan-girl” moment that left her awestruck. But it doesn’t end with gymnastics; Hezly’s got a serious love for basketball, and tennis has her heart too, which she recently revealed on social media.

Rivera’s epic fan-girl moment with Simone Biles

On October 26, NBC shared a YouTube video featuring Hezly Rivera in an interview with host Mary Omatiga, titled “Hezly Rivera Gains Confidence from Paris Experience, U.S. Olympic Teammates.” During their chat, Mary asked a fun question: “Did you have a fan-girl moment at the Olympics? Was there an athlete that you were most excited to meet?”

With a bright smile, wearing a white T-shirt and her hair in a high ponytail, Hezly lit up and replied, “So obviously, being with the team of Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, Suni Lee, and Jade Carey—I’ve looked up to them ever since, you know, like the last Olympics—so I’m just like, whoa! Obviously, that’s amazing, just training with them and competing with them.”

In the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the U.S. women’s gymnastics team faced intense pressure as the reigning champions. Simone Biles had to withdraw from several events due to mental health challenges and the “twisties,” but her comeback was impressive—she snagged a bronze on the balance beam! Suni Lee really stepped up, winning the all-around gold and grabbing a bronze on the uneven bars. Jordan Chiles and Grace McCallum also delivered strong performances, helping the team secure a silver medal, finishing just behind the Russian Olympic Committee. You can see how Hezly was inspired by their incredible journey!

But Hezly went on to share in the interview, “Outside of that, I would have to say Coco Gauff and Steph Curry, because that was just insane. I love Coco; she’s so sweet, and her energy is amazing. And Steph Curry—I mean, he’s Steph Curry! Just seeing him was incredible. It was so cool to take a picture with him because I’ve always looked up to these athletes.” Clearly, she’s a huge fan of Steph Curry, a four-time NBA champion, and Coco Gauff, who has eight WTA Tour singles titles.

Now, let’s talk about Simone Biles. She absolutely dominated the Paris Olympics, grabbing three gold medals. Although Hezly wasn’t selected to compete with Team USA in the finals on the 30th, she still found a way to shine, even managing to defeat Biles in their match-up afterward! But when?

Simone Biles and Hezly Rivera steal the show in the grip strength challenge

During a recent stop on the “Gold Over America Tour,” Olympic champions Simone Biles and Hezly Rivera had a blast with their fellow USA gymnastics stars in a fun grip strength challenge. Simone made everyone laugh when she weighed in at 60 pounds—the greatest of all time! She playfully mentioned feeling a tad awkward and brushed it off by pointing out that it’s over half her weight, and she’s handling it with grace.

Meanwhile, Hezly surprised everyone by lifting an impressive 82 pounds. But the real showstopper was Brody Malone from the U.S. men’s bronze medal-winning team, who smashed it with a staggering 159 pounds—nearly 100 pounds more than Simone! At the same time, Simone and Hezly share one more thing in common beyond gymnastics.

Hezly Rivera loves to bake, and her favorite creations are red velvet and chocolate cakes. While she usually sticks to box mixes, she finds joy in the process and the sweet results. Whether it’s for a special occasion or just to satisfy a craving, baking these delicious treats brings a smile to her face. In a similar way, Simone Biles loves to bake chocolate chip cookies at home, and she has a fun s’mores-inspired twist that takes them to the next level!

It looks like Simone Biles and Hezly Rivera can shine in any arena, whether it’s on the gymnastics floor or whipping up something delicious in the kitchen! How much fun would it be to see them in a baking competition? Just imagine the sweet creations they’d come up with!