Simone Biles became the oldest US gymnast in 72 years to qualify for the Olympics. On the flip side, Hezly Rivera became one of the youngest to ever do it. Imagine. A 16-year-old outperforming veterans, culminating her underdog journey with a ticket to Paris. And who doesn’t love a good underdog story? The thing is, the entire nation may have believed Rivera was the underdog, pleasantly surprised to watch her brilliant showing. But her former coach didn’t think that for a second.There’s no doubt that Hezly Rivera dreamed of representing her country at the Olympics, too. While everyone starts with that mindset, only a few get the opportunity to make it happen. And to do it just a decade after starting your gymnastics journey is a remarkable achievement in itself. However, from what Zappa added, it seems like he knew Rivera would be one of those select few.
