MyKayla Skinner: The Resilient Gymnast Who Seized Her Moment on the Olympic Stage

By Jayson Panganiban July 30, 2024 03:55

Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

The path to the Olympic stage for MyKayla Skinner was anything but typical. Skinner grew up in a family of gymnasts and began the sport early. At age five, she began gymnastics, following in her older siblings' footsteps. Though Skinner admits she was not used to the heavily scheduled practices common in gymnastics when starting, her natural talent and support from family members were enough to keep turning heads.

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Gymnastics Career

Early success at the competitive levels led Skinner to rapid advancement in gymnastics. By the time she turned 12 years old, Skinner had already hit the elite level and spent every week training over forty-two hours while being home-schooled to make up for lost classroom learning. That never-say-die attitude set the stage for Skinner's later success.

Though Skinner, as a junior gymnast, boasted an impressive resume that included a national title, her road to the Olympics had its bumps. In 2016, she was ever so close to being a part of the U.S. Olympic team at Rio de Janeiro, only for luck breaking against her, a setback that would have been enough to break most. Without a doubt, Skinner's resilience and determination increased as she committed to competing at the collegiate level for the University of Utah.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics

She developed into a two-time NCAA champ at Utah as her confidence rebounded from the shakes it took in failing to make that 2016 Olympic team. Skinner took a big risk in 2019 by deciding to come back for another shot at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

It could have been a smoother road back to the Olympic stage. Skinner endured a 366-day training extension due to COVID delays, coronavirus-induced pneumonia, a bone spur in one heel, and tendonitis. However, as one is to "never give up," she succeeded in navigating around any challenge that stood before her and lived the saying through a second chance at making something of herself.

Skinner showed her resilience once again at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She didn't qualify for the finals on vault or all-around, but it was her second chance when Simone Biles withdrew from the vault. Under the subsequent scrutiny, Skinner stepped up and nailed a program that saw her grabbing an Olympic silver medal.

Legacy and Impact

The story of MyKayla Skinner and the path she walked to an Olympic podium is a testament to how persistence pays off and the importance of having belief in oneself at all times.

Skinner's ripple effects go well beyond gymnastics. In her frank dialogue about the unrealistic stresses and standards that Olympians face, she opened up important conversations on mental health and wellness as essential components to high-level athletic performance. Audiences, in turn, lauded her openness to dealing with the setbacks she endured and left inspired by her open recognition of failures and how one can telegraph imperfections while carrying bullets crossed.

Like a real-life comic book hero, she proves that reaching the pinnacle of your sport doesn't have to come at the expense of everything else in your world. Having balance and time for personal growth are not mutually exclusive with being exceptional.

As Skinner embarks on the next step of her journey, there is no question that she will always be remembered as an unyielding powerhouse who took a stand. It's a reminder that an indomitable spirit and unwavering pace can realize the impossible.