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‘It’s go time baby!’: Gilbert’s MyKayla Skinner replacing Simone Biles in Tokyo vault finals

Skinner is competing in her first Olympic Games, and this may be her final shot at a medal.
Credit: AP
FILE - MyKayla Skinner gestures after competing on the uneven bars during the women's U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials in St. Louis, in this Friday, June 25, 2021, file photo. Skinner, a member of the six-woman U.S. delegation that will compete in Tokyo, has been highly critical of former national team coordinator Martha Karolyi and believes USA Gymnastics is in a better place following her retirement in 2016. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson, File)

TOKYO, Japan — Arizona-native MyKayla Skinner is getting another chance to represent Team USA gymnastics at the Tokyo Olympics after she was picked to replace Simone Biles in the vault finals.

Skinner, 24, is competing in her first Olympic Games, and this may be her final shot at a medal. She was previously an alternate for the 2016 Olympic team.

“Looks like I get to put a competition Leo on just one more time,” she tweeted Friday night. “It’s go time baby!”

The event is scheduled for Sunday at 12:45 a.m. PT.

Follow the latest stories from the Tokyo Olympics at 12news.com/Olympics

RELATED: Simone Biles withdraws from Olympic vault, uneven bars finals

After being selected as an alternate in the 2016 Rio Olympics, she made her debut in Tokyo and finished fourth among Team USA gymnasts in all-around competition behind Simone Biles, Suni Lee and Phoenix-native Jade Carey.

Skinner grew up in Gilbert, attended Higley High School for a year, and trained in Chandler.

Skinner dominated the Pac-12 as a freshman gymnast at the University of Utah. She has won numerous gold medals at NCAA and international events, but an Olympic medal has proved to be elusive.

Biles withdrew from competition due to mental health reasons. Skinner also tweeted that she will be competing to make Biles proud.

RELATED: Medals, heartbreaks and more: Keep up with the Olympic athletes from Arizona

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