MyKayla Skinner

Acclaimed for her indomitable tenacity and daredevil skills, Olympic silver medalist MyKayla Brooke Skinner burst onto the American gymnastics scene when she won the junior individual all-around title at the 2011 American Classic. At 24, she became the oldest U.S. Olympic gymnast since 2004, with a resilience and competitive spirit that have earned her a reputation as a powerhouse performer and model teammate.

MyKayla traveled an unusual path to the Tokyo Olympics. After qualifying as an alternate for the 2016 Olympic Team, MyKayla departed the world stage to compete for the University of Utah, where she became a two-time NCAA champion. Unexpectedly, she then decided to leave school in order to pursue her Olympic dreams again, mounting a comeback for the ages. Not even a year-long extension of training, COVID-induced pneumonia, a bone spur in one heel, and tendonitis could hold MyKayla back—no surprise to those who know Myk and her motto: “Never give up.”

At the Tokyo preliminaries, MyKayla placed fourth on vault and eleventh in the all-around but was denied the opportunity to compete in the finals because of the two-per-country rule. She publicly retired from gymnastics the next day, but when Simone Biles unexpectedly withdrew from the vault competition, MyKayla got a second chance to shine and won the silver medal.

Together with her husband, Jonas Harmer, she documented her journey to Tokyo on YouTube and Instagram. She is also featured in the Peacock documentary “Golden: The Journey of USA’s Elite Gymnasts.” After retirement, MyKayla and Jonas moved to Utah, where they completed their undergraduate degrees and started a family. Mykayla gave birth to Charlotte Jane Harmer in September of 2023, and has loved being a mom. Mykayla travels the country speaking at events, coaching at camps, and running her own gymnastics meets– the Mykayla Skinner Never Give Up Invitational. Her goal is to motivate gymnasts and women everywhere to follow their dreams and never give up.