Two-time NCAA champion Skinner wins Olympic silver medal

MyKayla Skinner, 24, capped a long and often agonizing journey to the Tokyo Olympics with a silver medal on Sunday.

The oldest female U.S. gymnast, Skinner was flying home to Arizona on Wednesday after winning the Olympic vault silver medal.

Skinner, who is 4 feet 11 inches tall, has had a career with more twists than a gymnast's routine. She was the 2020 Olympic vault silver medalist and a two-time NCAA champion in the floor exercise (2017) and vault (2018). She was also a two-time NCAA all-around runner-up (2017, 2018) and holds the NCAA record for the highest vault score (10.000).

Skinner's journey to the Olympics was not without its challenges. She missed the 2016 Olympics after tearing her ACL in her left knee. She also had to overcome a number of other injuries, including a broken ankle and a torn Achilles tendon.

But Skinner never gave up on her dream of competing in the Olympics. She worked hard to rehab her injuries and get back into competition shape. And in Tokyo, she finally achieved her goal.

"It's been a long road, but it's been worth it," Skinner said after winning her silver medal. "I'm so proud of myself and my team. We worked so hard to get here, and we did it."