 Rivera is also the recipient of the Philippine Sportswriters' Association (PSA) Athlete of the Year Award twice (in 2006 and 2011).Rivera won 10 championships from the Southeast Asian level up to the world stage culminating in his 2006 World Championships win.He has won a gold medal in the 2001 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur and in the 2002 Asian Championships in Hong Kong, he teamed up with fellow Filipino Chester King to win the men's doubles gold.