Full Breakdown
Hezly Rivera Defends U.S. All-Around Title with Comeback Victory
8/11/2026, 2:31:00 AM
The Championship Comeback
On August 9, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona, Hezly Rivera reclaimed the senior women’s all-around crown at the Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships. After a fall on uneven bars that left her in fourth after day one, Rivera delivered a strong second day to finish with a two-day total of 111.950 points, edging training partner Claire Pease by 1.15 points (110.800). Rivera also captured the balance-beam title (28.700), earned silver on floor (28.300), and posted the highest single-vault score of the meet (14.400).
Background & Context
Rivera entered as the defending champion, having won her first senior all-around title in 2025. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, she contributed to the team gold, competing in the qualifying round. A sprained ankle kept her from debuting at the 2025 World Championships. With the 2028 Los Angeles Games approaching, Rivera has spoken of “unfinished business” that includes a team medal and individual honors.
Data & Statistics
- All-around: Rivera 111.950; Pease 110.800; Bullock 110.550.
- Beam: Rivera 28.700 (gold).
- Floor: Rivera 28.300 (silver).
- Vault: Rivera 14.400 (highest single vault).
Rivera becomes the second woman in the last 13 years to repeat as U.S. all-around champion after Simone Biles, and the first non-Biles repeat since Jordyn Wieber (2011-12).
Official Statements & Responses
USA Gymnastics announced that Rivera and Pease earned automatic invitations to the World Selection Event (Sept. 29 – Oct. 1, Crossville, Tennessee) and confirmed Rivera’s place on the 2026-27 Senior National Team roster.
On-the-Ground Reports
During the competition, Rivera appeared relaxed despite a lingering hamstring issue from the June 2024 Pan American Games. She described the second day as “stress-free,” allowing her to execute cleanly and secure the overall win.
What’s Next
The World Selection Event will determine the five-woman U.S. team for the 2026 World Championships in Rotterdam (Oct. 17 – 25). Success there could position Rivera as a contender for the 2028 Olympic team.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
All sources consistently report Rivera’s scores, placements, and the selection timeline. No substantive discrepancies were identified.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I wasn’t looking at the scoreboard; I was just focused on myself and my gymnastics and what I had to do,” — Hezly Rivera, all-around champion
- “I think Hezly did a fantastic job tonight and kind of rebounding from night one and just proving to herself and everybody else that that was just a little fluke and she’s capable of so much,” — Jade Carey, Olympic champion
