Get it, girl! Olympic gymnast MyKayla Skinner made America proud during the 2020 Games in Tokyo when she stepped in for Simone Biles following her withdrawal from the vault competition — and won the silver medal in the competition. The Arizona native has an incredible body from all of her years of training, and she really loves showing off her abs.
The University of Utah student was shocked when she was pegged to replace Simone on the vault in Tokyo following her shaky performance during the team finals. “I was actually going to get on a plane to go home,” she told reporters after her silver medal win. “I wasn’t expecting any of this to happen. I was like, ‘They’re going to be fine [without me], they’re going to be good.’ And then, Simone was down on the floor after team finals and had told Cecile, like, ‘You need to text MyKayla to make sure she doesn’t go home in case she needs to step in.'”
Though she wasn’t originally in the headspace to compete in the Texas resident’s place — especially considering she wasn’t actually part of Team USA and was attending the Games as an individual — she tapped into her perseverance and got the job done. “I just don’t even know how I’ve been able to, you know, push through this and do what I’ve been able to do and just to be able to handle all the pressure and be able to go out there and compete and just do this for Simone,” MyKayla explained at the time.
The elite gymnast also noted that Simone was integral to her success during the vault competition. “It’s so weird, because I’m not used to seeing her in the stands, you know?” she said. “So, it was seriously cool to see her love and support and her cheering us on. And I knew she was going to be the loudest one in there tonight because she’s like, ‘I want you to make podium. I want you to medal.'”
Prior to her stint in Tokyo, MyKayla revealed in July 2021 that she would be retiring from collegiate gymnastics. “The Olympics this summer will mark my last gymnastics competition before I officially retire,” she said in a statement. “I will miss being a part of Utah Gymnastics and competing in the Jon M. Huntsman Center. I have nothing but good things to say about Utah Gymnastics, from the organization, the athletes, the fans, to Coach Tom and the staff. I will return to finish my degree and graduate at the U and will forever be a Red Rock. It is no secret we have the best fan base in the nation, and I am happy to now transition into being a part of it.”
Scroll through the gallery below to see MyKayla’s best bikini and swimsuit photos!