Generation Z is coming together to represent team USA!
USA Gymnastics, the governing body of the sport in the U.S., shared a photo of the two youngest American Olympians — Quincy Wilson and Hezly Rivera — to Instagram on Thursday, July 25.
"The two youngest@teamusaOlympians showing up BIG for their country," the organization captioned the photo of the two 16-year-olds.
Wilson, who announced on Instagram on Monday, July 1 that he made this year's Olympic team, wore a matching gray sweatsuit and posed with his arm around Rivera. The gymnast grinned alongside the runner in an Olympic-themed t-shirt and shorts.
"The duo we knew we needed ???? @hezrivera @_quincy_wilson," the official Instagram account of Team USA commented on the post.
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
Wilson — a rising high school junior from Potomac, Md. — made the U.S. Olympic relay team after he he recorded a 44.94-second sixth-place finish in the 400m dash final at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Ore. Wilson. He is the youngest male U.S. Olympian for track and field, a title previously held by 17-year-oldJim Ryunin 1964.
"WE GOING TO THE OLYMPICS #paris2024 #teamusa ❤️????????," he captioned a photo of himself July 1.
Olympic gold medal swimmer Katie Ledecky of Bethesda, Md. showed her support for the teenager in the comments. "MD let’s goooo ???? Congrats! ????????," she wrote.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. < -
/p>
Rivera, meanwhile, earned the fifth spot on the U.S women's gymnastics team after the U.S. Olympic trials in June. She will compete alongside teammatesSimone Biles,Jordan Chiles,Suni LeeandJade Carey.
The gymnast, who is the youngest female representing the U.S. in Paris, explained her attitude going into the Olympics in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE.
“Just making the team is just such an amazing experience and I'm so happy to be here. And obviously I made the Olympics, so I have to still work very hard to achieve my dreams at the Olympics, which I'm very excited for," she said.
When she's competing, Rivera said she focuses on one event at a time.
“I also think of my events as kind of event finals where, if I'm on beam, that's the only event I'm on, that's what I'm doing. I'm not thinking about anything else," she said,
Rivera added, "If I'm on vault, I'm only thinking about vault, and I kind of just move through the events like that and it becomes way easier, and my mind just becomes more settled and more calm."
The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!
To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. And sign up for Going for Gold, our Olympics newsletter, to get the biggest stories from the Games delivered straight to your inbox. Watch the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, beginning July 26, on NBC and Peacock.
Related Articles
Follow Us