A bridesmaid of sorts at her last three major international gymnastics meets, MyKayla Skinner will be the bride -- for sure -- on Nov. 14.

Skinner of Gilbert officially announced her engagement to Jonas Harmer and wedding date after returning from the World Championships in Germany. Both are 22 and met through a mutual friend while Skinner was in college at Utah and Harmer at BYU.

"We've been talking about marriage for a while," Skinner said. "We didn't know when or the timing of everything."

Skinner was an alternate on the U.S. women's team at at 2015 Worlds, 2016 Olympics and 2019 Worlds. But by even qualifying for the U.S. World team after resuming her elite international training in May, she has put herself in contention for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

While Skinner was training at Desert Lights Gymnastics in Chandler after her junior year in college, Harmer was working as a sales rep in California.

"He came to see me and we talked about it (marriage)," before Skinner made the World team, she said. "We didn't want anyone to know until we were engaged. We didn't want to keep doing long distance (relationship) and it seemed like the right time to get married before the Olympic year."

Skinner and Harmer have dated for two years and knew each other a few months before that.

"I know a lot of people say why rush to get married," she said. "But he's definitely the one and definitely a keeper. It almost makes it better not to have to wait as long (for her wedding). It's fun to plan and get going."

They are going to honeymoon on a previously planned vacation to Thailand. Then for Skinner, it will be back to the hard work of trying to qualify for Tokyo either on the four-woman team or as an individual all-around.

Skinner could be asked to compete in the individual all-around World Cup series in March and April in an attempt to earn an Olympic quota spot for the U.S.

"It was hard being an alternate for the third time," Skinner said. "But for me, it was OK because I made the World team and looking back five months ago, I didn't think I'd have that opportunity. This has been a great learning experience and the love and support I've had has been so inspiring and emotional at times. I'm super pleased with myself."

Skinner is one of the best vaulters in the world and working on adding a triple-twisting, double somersault to her floor exercise routine. She is working on her balance beam consistency and has substantially improved on uneven bars.

"I can't wait to see what next year brings," she said. "I'm working on a ton of upgrades. My endurance is better, but I still need to work on my form on leaps and turns. I've got to get those down."

Skinner said her Utah teammate MaKenna Merrell-Giles had her best seasons after getting married in summer 2017 and hopes for the same.

"I'll get to see him all the time, and I'm ready for that part of my life," she said. "He's one of my biggest supporters. I can rely on him when I'm having a bad day."

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Reach the reporter at jeff.metcalfe@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-8053. Follow him on Twitter @jeffmetcalfe.

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