No Simone Biles, no Jordan Chiles, but lots of smiles Friday in the U.S. Gymnastics Championships for Olympic gold medalist and LSU commitment Hezly Rivera.

The only member of the five-woman U.S. Olympic team that triumphed in Paris competing in this year’s event, Rivera showed off her world-class skills to take the lead after the first senior women’s session at the Smoothie King Center.

Coming off a shaky showing U.S. Classics meet in July, where she had two falls, Rivera bounced back strongly in this event that her Olympic teammate Biles won in 2024 for the ninth time. It’s a tight race among the top three, however, with Rivera at 55.600 followed closely by Arkansas’ Joscelyn Roberson (55.400) and Florida’s Leanne Wong (55.100).

“It will obviously be very competitive,” Rivera, 17, sai

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