MyKayla Skinner thinks Simone Biles will compete in Olympic balance beam final
Simone Biles has topped the podium for mental health awareness at the Tokyo Olympics, but there is still one more chance for the 24-year-old gymnast to compete for gold.
According to MyKayla Skinner, there's a real possibility that her Team USA teammate will participate in the women's balance beam final slated for Tuesday (Aug. 3).
"I don't know for sure, it’s kind of up to her," Skinner, who claimed silver in the women's vault final Sunday (Aug. 1), told reporters. "She should. I think she’s going to."
Biles competed in the vault during the women's gymnastics team final before withdrawing from the event. Her withdrawal from the women's all-around individual final followed soon after, citing mental health and, more specifically, "the twisties":
Biles has additionally withdrawn from every individual event she had qualified for:
The United States won silver in the women's team final. Suni Lee went on to earn gold in the all-around individual final before landing a bronze medal in the uneven bars final:
Skinner's silver in vault came after she was named as Biles' replacement:
Skinner, 24, previously qualified fourth overall for vault — ranked third behind Biles and Jade Carey — and was "actually getting ready to get on a plane to go home" when she learned she would have the opportunity to compete one last time before ending her gymnastics career.
"I dedicate this medal to Simone," Skinner said (h/t Deadline). "I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for her. I told her I would be doing this one for her. She said, ‘don’t do it for me, do it for yourself,’ so technically it's for all of us."
Biles solidified her GOAT status long before she landed in Tokyo. She became a global superstar by running away with four gold medals during the 2016 Rio Olympics, where she also won bronze, and is now a six-time Olympic medalist overall.
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