TOKYO - Mykayla Skinner never looked up. She sat on the floor in the Olympic gymnastics qualifying round and mutilated herself. He talked to his coach, fixed his tape, but never lost sight of the runway to the vault.
It was as if she didn't want to see her hard-fought dreams come to an end.
But when his teammate Jade Carey completely unloaded his second vault moments later of the night, Skinner had to see and accept the moment. Carey's victory marked his exit.
Skinner's Olympics – something he had worked so hard for – were effectively ended a day after the competition. Carey finished second in the United States behind Simone Biles in the vault final just as she was on the floor. Skinner couldn't hide the tears running down her face.
And in fact, it shouldn't have happened at all.
First, there's the two-per-country hater rule. Skinner, 24, had the day's fourth-highest score on the vault—in the world, yet she was the strangest woman. Victoria Listunova, the 2021 European all-around champion, fell victim to the same old policy just hours earlier, barring her from the all-around final. It's fair to say that the rule is widely despised—and the sport has a long history of disqualifying some of the top gymnasts.
Back then, there was a complex system of individual qualifiers, and a U.S. qualifier. The selection committee surprisingly picked two gymnasts who would compete directly with each other for the same medal.
Skinner and Carey were competing individually - something new to the 2020 Games and immediately embroiled in so much controversy, the option wouldn't even exist in 2024. While part of the American contingent in Tokyo, Skinner and Carey are not members of the team, which is likely to win gold in Tuesday's final. Instead they were there only to compete for personal events and places around.
Carey cemented her personal spot by participating in World Cup events last year. In choosing that path, she became the only American who could truly be in charge of her fate—and not rely on the selection committee to determine her fate—but it all kept her out of being named to the four-man team. Because if she does, it will be one place away from the US allocation.
It was immediately the subject of a heated debate among gymnastics fans as to whether this was appropriate or if it was the case between Carey and the U.S. was the right choice. But as Carey is known to be a vaulting and flooring expert, one thing most seemed to agree on was that second personal space would go to someone stronger on the beams and bars.
Many were shocked when the selection committee chose Skinner. Despite finishing fifth in the all-around at the Olympic Trials, his best events are also the vault and floor. The two would essentially compete for the same number of places in the event finals – with Biles but a guarantee for second place in both – reducing overall medal chances for the country and creating a potentially disastrous outcome for a gymnast.
That's exactly what happened.
Carey will compete this weekend in the vault and floor finals with a chance to win two Olympic medals, and Skinner will go home to Arizona empty-handed. Skinner did not speak to the media Sunday night, but she later posted on social media, saying she was "heartbroken."
Skinner was a substitute for the 2016 Rio Games and 2019 World Championships team. After watching from the stands, when the U.S. team won gold in Rio in 2016, Skinner quit elite gymnastics and went to college. She won two NCAA titles for Utah, but she could never shake her childhood dream of making the Olympics. She announced that she would return to the elite class after her junior season, with her focus on 2020.
Heart broken💔 but feeling sooo humbled and blessed for the amazing performance I had tonight! You have all brought me to tears thanks for being my biggest cheerleaders! Love u all😘 xoxo myk
— MyKayla Skinner (Harmer) (@mykaylaskinner) July 25, 2021
"I was coming back to this burning desire I'd always felt, and I was going back to the moment where I was sitting there watching them in Rio," Skinner told ESPN in 2020. And my body was still in good shape, so I thought, 'Let's try this and if it doesn't work, it doesn't work, but at least I'll always know I tried.'"
Of course, 2020 turned into 2021 and Skinner himself was hospitalized with COVID-19 and pneumonia for weeks in and out of the gym. But his spirit and courage never wavered.
She was clear in her frustration about not making the four-woman team after the Trials, but she was happy to have the opportunity to become an Olympian as an individual. She was frequently posting on her social media platforms as she was studying for Japan and once she had arrived. But as the team went from vault to bars on Sunday, tears fell, it was clear it wanted more, and yet, came very close to achieving it.
Skinner hit the bars, and again on the beam in her final event, and after she landed, she emotionally waved to say goodbye to the small crowd that had gathered inside the Ariack Gymnastics Center. She has previously stated that the Olympics will be the final meeting of her career and that she will not use her fourth year of eligibility in Utah, so the moment marks the end of her time in the sport.
The rest of the American contestants rushed to hug him. Hours later, Biles posted a photo from their Postmeet embrace with a sweet message.
"Very proud of this," also wrote Biles, 24. "No one understands how much hard work and dedication it took to come back from collegiate gymnastics and make an Olympic team. You did a great job! Thanks for reminding us that grandma can do it too. Lighten the gym- Thanks for keeping it light and funny. I love you Miss Olympian."
So now, unless Skinner finds herself reinvigorated by the latest disappointment and wants to be back again for 2024, she will have to settle for "Ms. Olympian" instead of the "Olympic medalist" title, which her Companions are likely to be achieved this week. She recorded an 11th-best all-around on Sunday, and would have also qualified for that 24-women final if not for the two-nation rule. But as the fourth-best American scores, his time in Tokyo came to an abrupt end.
Still, in another tweet posted later on Sunday, he seemed to understand exactly what he proved.