Hezly Rivera Captures Her Second Straight U.s. Women's Gymnastics Title

PHOENIX — Hezly Rivera is leaning into her domiciled arsenic nan leader of nan adjacent activity of U.S. women’s gymnasts.

The 18-year-old Olympic golden medalist won her 2nd consecutive nationalist title connected Sunday, rallying from 4th during nan last time of title pinch 4 poised and master routines. Her two-day full of 111.950 was much than a constituent clear of runner-up Claire Pease, making Rivera nan first American female not named Simone Biles to spell back-to-back since erstwhile world and Olympic champion Jordyn Wieber did it successful 2010 and 2011.

Rivera was nan self-described “underdog” successful Paris 2 years ago, erstwhile she joined an knowledgeable group that helped nan Americans triumph their 3rd squad golden successful 4 Games. While immoderate of her Olympic teammates — Biles and Suni Lee main among them — person been connected an extended break (though Lee announced past period she has started training for a return to competition), Rivera has pressed on.

She edged Leanne Wong successful New Orleans past year, but Rivera’s chances for a repetition seemed to beryllium successful problem aft she fell face-first into nan mat aft missing a merchandise connected uneven bars connected Thursday.

No matter, Rivera began Sunday connected bars and put together a gritty group successful which she fought done a mini-stall adjacent nan extremity and gave coach Valeri Liukin a “what are you gonna do?” motion aft a dismount that included a mini step.

The judges awarded Rivera pinch a coagulated if not spectacular 13.850, and her momentum continued to build arsenic she made her measurement crossed nan title level astatine Matchup Mortgage Arena. Her black-and-white bedazzled leotard sparkling nether nan lights, Rivera put connected a capacity that made her look each spot nan knowledgeable seasoned she has become.

Pease and chap first-day co-leader Skye Blakely couldn’t rather support up. Pease led pinch 2 rotations to go, but her level regular included 1 tumbling walk that ended pinch her stepping retired of bounds and different successful which she opted to support her correct ft hovering supra nan level alternatively than group it down for a penalty.

Still, Pease’s second-place decorativeness was a marked betterment from a twelvemonth ago, erstwhile she came to nationals caller disconnected a triumph astatine U.S. Classic and stumbled to 10th. This clip around, she finds herself successful a coagulated position to make nan squad that will caput to The Netherlands for nan world championships successful October.

Blakely’s bid to build disconnected a promising opening nighttime stalled quickly. She sat astatine nan extremity of her first tumbling walk and bounced retired of bounds connected her last one, her people of 11.900 dropping her from contention for nan apical of nan podium connected her measurement to a seventh-place finish.

Charleigh Bullock, who turned 16 past month, was third. Reese Esponda, who trains astatine nan Houston-area gym owned by Biles’ family, was fourth.

Two-time Olympic golden medalist Jade Carey, who is methodically building trouble into her routines arsenic she eyes a 3rd travel to nan Games, vanished 5th successful a meet that doubled arsenic a homecoming for nan Phoenix native.

Graves writes for nan Associated Press.