NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Hezly Rivera met the moment.

The 17-year-old Olympic gold medalist pulled away for a victory at the U.S. gymnastics championships on Sunday, looking more than ready to be the standard-bearer for the women's program in the early stages of the run-up to the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

Rivera, the youngest member of the five-woman team that finished atop the podium in Paris a year ago, posted a two-day total of 112.000 just eight-tenths (0.8) clear of runner-up Leanne Wong.

Three weeks after a shaky meet at the U.S. Classic, where she finished a distant 12th, Rivera responded with the kind of polished performance that all but assured her of a spot on the four-woman world championship team that will head to Jakarta, Indonesia, in October.

Rivera, at the very least, lock

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