On Friday night, USA Gymnastics announced that Simone Biles had withdrawn from the vault and uneven bars individual competitions on Sunday in Tokyo.
In a tweet, American teammate MyKayla Skinner said she will be replacing Biles in the vault finals.
“Looks like I get to put a competition Leo on just one more time. Can’t wait to compete in vault finals. Doing this for us @Simone_Biles,” Skinner wrote. “It’s go time baby!”
Skinner placed fourth in the vault qualification but had originally been excluded because countries can have only two gymnasts in one event final.
Looks like I get to put a competition Leo on just one more time. Can’t wait to compete in vault finals. Doing this for us @Simone_Biles ❤️ It’s go time baby!— MyKayla Skinner (Harmer) (@mykaylaskinner) July 31, 2021
Looks like I get to put a competition Leo on just one more time. Can’t wait to compete in vault finals. Doing this for us @Simone_Biles ❤️ It’s go time baby!
Jade Carey will join Skinner in the vault finals Sunday.
No American will be able to replace Biles in the uneven bars final because a third gymnast — other than Biles and Sunisa Lee — did not qualify. Biles is still eligible to compete in the floor exercise and balance beam finals, which are set to take place on Monday and Tuesday.
The four-time Olympic gold medalist hasn’t competed since bailing on a vault exercise during the team all-around finals earlier this week, the consequence of a gymnastics phenomenon she’s referred to as the “twisties.” Biles also withdrew from the individual all-around final due to her mental health, paving the way for Lee to win gold in the event.