MyKayla Skinner of Team United States poses with the silver medal following the Women's Vault Final on day nine of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Gymnastics Centre on Aug. 1, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Jamie Squire /Getty Images)
TOKYO — Sporting a silver medal around her neck, MyKayla Skinner, a former University of Utah Red Rocks gymnast, told NBC Sports that Simone Biles supported her through the vault final at the Tokyo Olympics.
Skinner, 24, described Biles as “practically like a sister to me.”
“Honestly, she was just like, ‘I can’t wait to go out there and scream for you,'” Skinner said in an interview Monday morning with NBC Sports. “She’s just been so supportive and really trying to help me stay positive through all of this craziness and everything that’s been going on.”
Biles’ withdrawal from the vault final cleared the way for MyKayla Skinner to compete, winning the silver Sunday.
“She’s practically like a sister to me, and I’m so grateful to be the ‘OGs’ of the team with her,” Skinner continued.
Biles, 24, missed several events after suffering what gymnasts call the “twisties.” The phenomenon leaves gymnasts lost in the air, opening themselves up to potential injury. However, she plans to finish out the Tokyo Olympics in the balance beam final on Tuesday. Her teammate Sunisa Lee, who won gold in the all-around competition, will also compete on the balance beam.
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