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TOKYO – U.S. gymnast MyKayla Skinner is continuing to train in the event she is called upon to replace Simone Biles in the Olympic vaulting final Sunday.
Skinner’s coach Lisa Spini said Friday that she and Skinner were “going to leave but were asked to stay” after Biles dropped out of the team final Tuesday.
Biles also did not compete in the all-around final, replaced by Jade Carey, who finished eighth.
In qualifying July 25, Skinner was fourth on vault (14.866) but behind Biles (15.183) and Carey (15.166). The 24-year-old did not make the eight-woman final based on a limitation of two per country.
A final decision on the roster for team finals is not due until 24 hours before the competition.
“She is doing really well in training,” Spini said. “Her vaults in qualifying were not her best.
“This wouldn’t be exactly how you want to get an opportunity, but you take it. Her first dream was to be an Olympian and her second was to medal.”
Skinner of Gilbert/Desert Lights was a 2016 Olympic alternate who did not compete in Rio. She qualified for Tokyo through U.S. Championships and the Olympic Trials as an individual specialist.
Carey, from Phoenix/Arizona Sunrasy, qualified for Tokyo via the Apparatus World Cup Series (2018-20). She is a medal contender in vault and floor exercise finals.
More: Filling in for Simone Biles, Jade Carey takes eighth in Olympic all-around final
More: Arizonan Jade Carey qualifies for Olympic gymnastics floor exercise, vault finals
Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 602-444-8053. Follow him on Twitter @jeffmetcalfe.
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