""Before I perform, I don't really have certain steps that I take," Rivera, 17, tells Fortune. "When I'm getting ready, I like to stay as calm as possible. I don't listen to music, I take a nap. I try to get my mind off gymnastics.""
""I don't have many rituals or a set routine-it just kind of flows the way it's meant to that day," she said."
""I pray with my family, and that calms me down. I know all the preparation we've put in at the gym will come out eventually, so I'm not too stressed or worried about it," she added."
Hezly Rivera prioritizes calm and mental quiet before performances, often avoiding music and taking naps to clear her mind. She does not follow elaborate rituals and allows routines to flow naturally each day. Family prayer provides additional calm and confidence in her preparation. Rivera balances intense training with education, having been homeschooled since fourth grade, and supports expanding STEM access through involvement with Verizon Innovative Learning. She was the youngest U.S. athlete at the 2024 Paris Olympics, earned a team gold medal, became 2025 U.S. senior all-around champion, and later withdrew from world championships due to an ankle injury. Present-moment focus guides her approach.
Read at Fortune
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]