Three U of U female gymnasts headed to Tokyo Olympic Games

Women's USA Gymnastics will have three representatives from the University of Utah Red Rocks team. Photo: Andre Ouellet

ST. LOUIS, MO. — In a packed stadium in Missouri tonight, the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for women’s gymnastics resulted in three athletes who matriculate and train in Salt Lake City being named to the 2020 Tokyo team.

University of Utah’s trifecta includes Grace McCallum from Minnesota who will be one of four competing in the Team event alongside Simone Biles, McKayla Skinner from Arizona who will be one of two competing in the Individual event, and Kara Eaker from Missouri who will be at the Games as one of four alternates.

Skinner’s parents, Cris and Kym said in a prerecorded video to NBC, “For her to make this would mean everything.” After the team was announced, Makayla said live on NBC, “Hey Mom, I made it.” All the athlete’s parents were in attendance, especially since they can’t go watch their daughters in Tokyo due to the ban because of COVID of international spectators.

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The athletes wore masks at the event in the moments before and after being out on the field of play.

Skinner was an alternate in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

McCallum has come back stronger after healing from a relatively recent hand injury that required a plate and screws to be surgically implanted. 

Previous standings from the recent U.S. Championships were taken into account, empirically, and factored in with tonight’s results. Then the families, friends, fans, and competitors waited with bated breath for 45 minutes as a Selection Committee crunched a few further numbers.  

This collegiate hat trick is one big reason Utahns will be tuning in to the Olympic Games which begin on the stations of NBC on July 23.