Alexa Nicole Riech was born on March 29, 1992 in New York to parents Stacey and Frank Riech. She has a 8-year-old sister, Jenna. Alexa, simply known to her friends as "Lex" started taking gymnastics classes when she was four at Gymnastique.
In 2002, Alexa competed as a level 8. At the USA Gymnastic Local Meet she placed fourth in the all-around and earned two silver medals on vault and uneven bars. Later that season she competed at the Level 8 Regional Championships. Alexa performed strongly and won the uneven bars and finished fifth in the all-around. For the next three years Alexa competed as a level 9. In 2003, she finished eighth on vault at Level 9 Regionals. In 2004, she placed 1st in the all-around at Level 9 Sections. She also won the vault title and earned a silver medal on balance beam and two bronze medals on on uneven bars and floor exercise. She then placed 26th in the all-around and placed 5th on vault at 2004 Level 9 Regionals.
Last year as a level 9 in 2005, Alexa started her season off by placing sixth in the all-around at the Maryland Classic. She placed second on vault and fifth on floor. Her next meet was the Empire State Games. Alexa helped her team to take home the bronze medal. She also earned eighth place on vault. In her last Level 9 Regionals, Alexa won vault and a bronze medal on beam. By finishing seventh overall she earned a trip to the Eastern National Championships. Alexa took eighth place on floor exercise and placed 14th in the in all-around. On her best event, vault, she took the bronze medal.
Alexa competed as a level 10 for the first time in 2006. She did really well at the open invitationals. She won a gold medal on vault at the Sand Dollar Invitational and placed fourth in the all-around at the Manhattan Classic. She won another gold medal on her best event, vault, at the Long Island Classic. At the 2006 Level 10 Regional Championships, she placed eighth in the all-around and won a bronze medal on vault.
Alexa was determined to do well during her second year as a level 10. She started her 2007 season at the Junior Orange Bowl where she finished second in the all-around, second on vault and first on balance beam and floor exercise. Alexa injured her foot at the Manhattan Classic but she ended up with two medals on vault and floor exercise. Alexa's goal for the 2007 season was to qualify to the Junior Olympic Nationals and she accomplished that at the Level 10 Regional Championships where she placed seventh in the all-around and took home a bronze medal on floor. She placed 48th in the all-around at her first Junior Olympic National Championships. At the New York Empire State Games, she won the all-around title and qualified to the Empire State Games. There, she finished seventh in the all-around and third on uneven bars.
Alexa started her 2008 season at the Maryland Classic. She finished eighth in the all-around and fourth on vault. She then took a bronze medal in the all-around at Manhattan Classic. Alexa placed in the top 4 in next three invitationals, Winter Wonderland, Hard Rock Invitational, and Long Island Classic. At the Level 10 State Championships, she took home a gold medal on vault and placed fourth on balance beam. Right before the Level 10 Regionals, Alexa suffered a foot injury and had to withdraw from the competition.
In 2009, Alexa finished second in the all-around and first on vault, beam and floor at the Brestyan's Invitational. At the Winter Wonderland, she won the all-around title and first on vault and uneven bars. She then finished second in the all-around, first on vault and floor exercise at the Long Island Classic. Alexa won another all-around title at the Manhattan Classic. She also won three medals on vault, bars and floor. At the Level 10 State Championships, she finished seventh in the all-around, third on vault and fourth on balance beam. Alexa then won a bronze medal in the all-around as well as a gold medal on vault. There, she qualified to her second Junior Olympic Nationals, where she finished 14th on vault and seventh on floor exercise.
Alexa began her 2010 season with two all-around titles at the Vitamin Classic and Winter Wonderland. She then finished fourth in the all-around and first on vault at the Manhattan Classic. At the Level 10 State Championships, she won the vault title and finished 11th overall. Alexa placed sixth in the all-around, first on vault and third on floor exercise at the Level 10 Regional Championships. She qualified to the Junior Olympic Nationals for the third time in Dallas, Texas. At the JO Nationals, she finished 37th overall, 20th on vault and 27th on floor exercise.
In her free time Alexa likes to go shopping and hanging out with her friends and family. She would like to become a physical therapist and eventually own a gym. Her role models are her parents and cousin, Adam.
