Emotional goodbye

Legendary snowboarder White fails to medal in final Olympic appearance

Snowboarding pioneer Shaun White took his final bow at the bottom of the halfpipe course at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Friday, officially marking the end of his long and storied career as a professional snowboarder. No matter how hard the 35-year-old tried to hold back his emotions, it just got to be too much.

Although he wanted to do his best by performing two 1440s during his final run, he fell while attempting his second double cork 1440. Despite the fall, everyone cheered for the snowboarding legend at Genting Snow Park in Zhangjiakou as he stood back up and continued down the halfpipe.

"Sliding on my back, I was thinking, this isn't how I wanted it to go. You don't always get what you want, but I have to be thankful for everything I do have and what I have gotten in my career," said White, who finished in fourth place.

Afterward, the five-time Olympian couldn't hold back the tears when reflecting on his illustrious career. "I'm proud about my career and that's why I'm very emotional. I can't believe it's over. It's wild," he said.

From a young age, snowboarding was what White wanted to do more than anything. At 19, White took part in his first Winter Olympics in Turin in 2006 and scored gold. The victory changed his life forever and he became the sport's global superstar.

Meanwhile, he continued to push his limits by landing the first double cork in halfpipe and inventing the double McTwist 1260. Those tricks brought him three Olympic gold medals, as well as injuries, including the brutal crash in 2018 when he slammed his head against the top of a superpipe, leading to 62 stitches in his face in the lead-up to the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics.

As the snowboarder who holds the world record for the most X-Games gold medals and most Olympic gold medals, White has been the inspiration for almost all the younger generation of snowboarders.

"Everybody was asking me what my legacy in this sport has been, and, I'm like, 'You're watching it'. These younger riders, they have been on my heels every step of the way. To see them finally surpass me is, I think, deep down what I always wanted, you know－to be beaten!"

Clearly, the snowboard halfpipe finals at Beijing marked both the end of the White era and a new chapter for the sport, as Ayumu Hirano of Japan won the gold by landing the first triple cork at an International Ski Federation competition. It's a trick that White once attempted but never completed. Australia's Scotty James took the silver while Switzerland's Jan Scherrer won bronze.

"That triple was incredible. I know he's wanted it, and it's his time. I'm happy for him," White said.

"I can't wait to see what the next generation does with the sport. People had to dig the halfpipes with shovels when I started and look at it today. Triple corks are happening. It's just getting crazier. I'm proud to have inspired that generation."

White had thought of quitting while competing in Austria in November last year, after sustaining an ankle injury that prevented him from competing further in the event's qualifying rounds. Furthermore, he was still recovering from knee surgery.

"On the chairlift ride, the mountain was closing in and no one was around. I was watching the sun go down, and it just hit me. I was like, 'this is it, these are the signs',"White said. "I reflected on all the things I've done, and looked at that sunset going down, and I thought, 'next time I'm here I won't be stressed about learning tricks. I won't be worried about some kind of competition'."

Indeed, the final at Beijing 2022 was to be the last time he would be stressed out about how many points he was going to get or if he might really hurt himself pushing the limit. "It's hard to wake up every day since you were a kid and go 'wow, I'm going to do something really scary today and hope I'm OK'," White said.

On a brighter note, White said he intends to continue to play a big part in the sport. From now on, he will concentrate on helping the younger generation of snowboarders invent new moves and continue to raise the level of the sport that has been the love of his life.

"'I'm not competing' doesn't mean I won't be here at the next Winter Olympics cheering on all my friends," he said. "The future for me is so exciting. There is so much to do and so much to live for. This is just the beginning for me."

CUI JIA in Zhangjiakou