Legendary snowboarder Shaun White says he plans to retire following the Beijing Olympics. The three-time gold medalist confirmed he has reached the end of his career during a news conference, Saturday morning.
“This has all had its amazing glow as I’ve decided this will be my last Olympics,” White said. “I’ve given it my all, there have been some ups and downs on the way to get here. And with that I feel I’ve got stronger and better.”
He added: “I’m just so excited about everything. Opening ceremony was incredible. The venue looks incredible. I’m just enjoying every single moment.”
White says he reached the decision at the end of 2021, citing ankle, knee, and back issues as a major cause.
“They [injuries] were taking away from days in practice, and I was watching the tricks getting heavier and heavier,” he explained. “I was riding down from the halfpipe in Austria, and I got lost, and I had to take this chair back up. And on that chairlift ride, the mountain was closing and I was on my own and I was watching the sun go down, and it hit me: this is it. It was a surreal moment, but very joyous as I watched the sun go down and reflected.”
White is expected to compete in the Men’s Snowboard Halfpipe, Qualification Runs 1 & 2 on Wednesday.
[Via]