ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — As the U.S. women moved from one event to the next, Hezly Rivera looked like a hotel bellhop, loaded down with her teammates' bags and coats.
The two-time U.S. champion is devastated to be missing out on another world championships, but she found other ways to help her team during qualifying Sunday, Oct. 18. The Americans are trying to extend a winning streak that began in 2011 at these worlds, as well as qualify for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
"They can rely on me for whatever they need," Rivera said. "I’m just trying to be the biggest help and support for them."
River was forced to withdraw from the world team Saturday, Oct. 17, because of an injured left ankle. She had been favoring it during podium training two days earlier, unable to do her floor exercise routine and skipping vault completely.
Rivera missed last year's worlds after rolling the same ankle.
"It’s definitely a little bit devastating because I worked all year for this and worked so hard this entire year," she said. "But unfortunately things do happen."
Rivera, then 16, took advantages of injuries to Shilese Jones and Skye Blakely at Olympic trials to make the Paris squad, winning a gold medal with the U.S. women. With her Paris teammates all taking time off after the Games, Rivera stepped into the spotlight.
She has won the last two U.S. titles and would have been a contender for the all-around gold at these worlds. Instead, she's become the U.S. women's biggest cheerleader, making TikToks with Reese Esponda and Charleigh Bullock, playing games and giving her younger teammates pep talks.
"I just told them to do their normal. They’re here because they do their normal. They didn’t do anything extra or anything less," Rivera said. "So just trust in their training and enjoy the moment because this is the world championships. It’s their first one and I really just want them to soak it all in."
She's trying to take her own advice, even with her injury.
"This didn’t go as I planned," Rivera said, "but there’s always positive things to take away from this."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USA’s Hezly Rivera reveals how she helped her team during worlds qualifying