Snowboarding Great Takes His Final Run

Shaun White, 35 year old professional snowboarder, has decided the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will be his last competition. Without a doubt, White has been the face of snowboarding following his Olympic Debut in the 2006 Turin games, earning himself a gold medal in the half-pipe competition. People around the world fell in love with his raw talent, love for the sport and voluminous red hair, to which he received the nickname, the “Flying Tomato.” Since his debut, White has only improved and increased the level of competition within the sport. Competing in three other Olympic games and earning himself two more gold medals on the halfpipe, his career has been nothing short of spectacular. Not to mention he holds the record for most X Games gold medals and Olympic gold medals by a snowboarder. While many will be sad to see him go, he believes it is the right time for the sun to set on his career.

Signs from all around have been an indication to White that his fifth Olympics should be his last. For a long time he had hoped and planned to compete in Italy in 2026 in order to end his career where he started it, but he is very content with taking his final run in China. White has struggled with knee and back injuries that caused him to miss out on some training, and he has expressed how it has been increasingly difficult to add new tricks that other athletes are performing. There was one day in particular where he was taking the chair lift up the mountain to make his final run of the day. The mountain was closing and the sun was setting; reflecting on the success of his career along with the many recent injuries, he got a feeling in his heart and his mind and knew at this moment it was time for him to move on. White was saddened with the realization but also joyous and excited for the next chapter in his life.

Although he is anxious to move on, at the moment he has all his focus on this year's games. White is fully prepared to face some pretty tough competition in Beijing. Japanese snowboarder Ayumu Hirano has competed against the American before and has put up an incredible fight, earning himself a close silver to White’s gold in the 2018 Winter Olympics. White expects Hirano to give it his all and says he finds it sort of fun being the underdog this time around. White could not be more excited and is just trying to enjoy every last minute of the amazing experience that is the Olympics. As the games progress, all will be eager to see what he pulls out for what, I’m sure, will be a jaw-dropping final performance. It is easy to say Shaun White has changed the sport forever, and his legacy will live on as the greatest snowboarder of his time for many years to come.