“I haven’t really said this too much, so it’s going to feel weird coming out of my mouth, but this is I think my last run.” –Shaun White
Shaun White announced yesterday that the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing will be his last. The 35-year-old snowboarding legend holds the record for the most Olympic gold medals of any snowboarder in history with three. He most recently took home the gold in the men’s halfpipe at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. His first Olympics came when he was 19 when he won gold in the men’s halfpipe competition in Turin, Italy in 2006.
“So it’s hard to talk about because my whole life I’ve kind of been looked at as somewhat superhuman because I do these things, and a lot of people have always come up to me and just ‘I don’t know how he does it,’ and I prided myself on being that individual. And man, realizing and admitting to myself and everyone else, yeah, I’m human. It’s taken a toll.”
Shaun will be riding at Dew Tour event in Colorado this week, the third of four Olympic qualifying events. He could all but secure his Olympic spot with a win, and still has another chance with the last qualifying event in California next month or as a selection by a U.S. Ski and Snowboard committee if needed.
Hats off to Shaun White for an incredible Olympic career. Phenomenal athlete whose impact on the sport is immeasurable. Cheers!
Here’s a clip of Shaun taking a rip through the pipe yesterday at Copper. Dude is so smooth.
