Hezly Rivera defends U.S. gymnastics all-around title

Hezly Rivera successfully defended her all-around title at the 2026 U.S. Gymnastics Championships, overcoming a first-day fall to claim her second consecutive national crown. The 18-year-old Olympic gold medalist secured the victory on Sunday in Phoenix with a two-day total of 111.950, finishing more than a point ahead of runner-up Claire Pease.

Rivera’s comeback began after she fell from the uneven bars during Friday’s opening session, which left her in fourth place. She entered Sunday’s final day trailing the leaders but delivered a strong performance across all four apparatuses. Rivera began her final day on bars, where she fought through a minor stall to post a 13.850. She then built momentum with a solid balance beam routine and a high-scoring floor exercise, which moved her into the lead heading into the final rotation. On vault, she nearly stuck her landing to clinch the title.

“I wasn’t looking at the scores, I wasn’t looking at the scoreboard, I was just focusing on myself and my gymnastics,” Rivera said after the competition. “I took all the pressure I could off myself.”

Her victory makes Rivera the first American woman not named Simone Biles to win back-to-back...