ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — Paris Olympic gold medalist Hezly Rivera will miss another gymnastics world championships because of an injured left ankle.
The two-time U.S. champion withdrew from the competition following training Saturday, Oct. 17, a day before the Americans compete in qualifying. Alternate Dulcy Caylor will take Rivera's place on the five-woman team.
"Day to day," Rivera told reporters about her chances of competing after being limited during the U.S. training session Thursday, Oct. 15. "Just taking it step by step and seeing how I feel."
What happened to Hezly Rivera?
Rivera's ankle injury is a blow for the U.S. women, who are looking both to qualify a full team for LA28 and extend their winning streak at the world championships. The Americans have won every team title
going back to 2011.
Rivera was considered a longshot to make the U.S. women’s team for Paris in 2024. She had turned 16 just three weeks before the Olympic trials, and it was her first season on the senior level. But injuries to Shilese Jones and Skye Blakely, both of whom were considered locks for the team, opened the door for Rivera.
With her Paris teammates all taking last season off, Rivera established herself as one to watch in the lead-up to LA28 by winning her first U.S. title. But she rolled her left ankle just before the world team selection camp, and missed last year's world championships.
we’re wishing Hezly a speedy recovery & know she’ll be cheering on Team USA in Rotterdam 🫶 pic.twitter.com/g3CIiY1skU
— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) October 17, 2026
She won her second U.S. title in August, and was looking forward to finally competing at a world championships. But sometime between the Sept. 30-Oct. 1 selection camp and this week's official training session, Rivera injured her left ankle again. She did a dance-through of her floor routine, didn't even get on the podium for vault and was favoring it on both her uneven bars dismount and balance beam.
"Obviously this isn't how I wanted my world championships to go. Or the first podium training," Rivera said after podium training. "But I'm still being very grateful and keeping a positive attitude."
Editor's note: This story will be updated.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Hezly Rivera out of gymnastics worlds with ankle injury in blow to US women
