PHOENIX — Frederick Richard and Hezly Rivera delivered landmark performances at the 2026 Xfinity U.S. Gymnastics Championships, leaving Phoenix as America’s new and returning all-around champions.
Frederick Richard Breaks Through for His First U.S. All-Around Title
For Richard, a 22-year-old, Saturday’s victory marked his first senior U.S. all-around championship. For Rivera, an 18-year-old Olympic gold medalist, Sunday brought a second consecutive national crown and another statement about her place among the country’s leading women.
Richard entered his fifth senior season with a résumé that already included an Olympic team bronze medal, a world all-around bronze and three NCAA all-around championships at the University of Michigan. The national all-around title, however, had remained out of reach until now.
He changed that at Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, winning with a two-day score of 170.015—nearly three points ahead of runner-up Shane Wiskus, who finished at 167.964. Danila Leykin placed third with 167.001.
Richard also captured the floor exercise championship with a combined 28.916, earning his second career U.S. title on the apparatus. His commanding performance added another milestone to a career that has helped expand the visibility of Black men in a sport where they have historically been underrepresented.
The championship represents more than another medal for Richard. The Massachusetts native has used his “Frederick Flips” social media platform to introduce new audiences to men’s gymnastics while openly pursuing his ambition to become one of the sport’s defining American stars.
Hezly Rivera Defends Her U.S. All-Around Crown
Rivera produced a comeback worthy of a defending champion.
After ending the first day in fourth place, Rivera surged through Sunday’s competition to win the women’s all-around title with 111.950 points. Her performance secured back-to-back national championships and reaffirmed the steadiness that helped make her the youngest member of the gold-medal-winning U.S. women’s team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Rivera also won the balance beam title with a two-day total of 28.700, earned silver on floor exercise with 28.300 and recorded Sunday’s highest single-vault score at 14.400.
Her WOGA Gymnastics teammate Claire Pease earned all-around silver with 110.800, while Charleigh Bullock claimed bronze at 110.550. Pease won uneven bars and took silver on vault. Bullock added a bronze medal on bars.
As the top two women in the all-around, Rivera and Pease received automatic invitations to the 2026 World Selection Event later this fall. Athletes at that event will compete for places on the U.S. team headed to the World Championships, scheduled for Oct. 17-25 in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
Richard Earns His Place on the U.S. World Championships Team
Richard was also named to the U.S. men’s World Championships team alongside Wiskus, Leykin, Yul Moldauer, Asher Cohen and Kameron Nelson. Cooper Kim was selected as the traveling replacement athlete.
Other national apparatus champions included Jade Carey on women’s vault, Reese Esponda on women’s floor, Patrick Hoopes on pommel horse, Cohen on still rings, Nelson on men’s vault, Moldauer on parallel bars and Kim on horizontal bar.
Frederick Richard and Hezly Rivera Represent the Changing Face of U.S. Gymnastics
Their triumphs place two athletes of color at the center of the road to Rotterdam—and potentially Los Angeles. With the 2028 Olympics now less than two years away, every national championship and international selection carries greater significance for athletes hoping to represent Team USA on home soil.
In a discipline transformed by Black women but still working to broaden representation across events and genders, Richard’s breakthrough and Rivera’s repeat offer young Black gymnasts proof that championship podiums belong to them, too.
Richard finally secured the senior national prize missing from his collection. Rivera refused to surrender hers.
Now, both leave Phoenix with national titles, momentum and an opportunity to carry their excellence—and their communities—toward the world championship in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
