Shaun White Confirms His Olympic Retirement After Beijing 2022 Games

Hanging up his board. Forward of Shaun White’s upcoming snowboarding occasions within the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics, the athlete has confirmed his retirement.

“You already know, for me, this has all had this superb glow to each single determination, each single competitors as a result of I’ve determined this might be my final Olympics and with that, I’ve given it my all,” White, 35, told reporters throughout a Saturday, February 5, press convention. “There’s been some ups and downs alongside the way in which to get right here however by all of that, I really feel like I’ve gotten stronger [and] gotten higher — and now, I’m with these superb teammates and I’m simply so enthusiastic about every thing.”

He added on the time: “[I’m] simply having fun with every thing single second and, I don’t know, I’ve performed a lot within the sport. … I’m at all times attempting to push and progress and do the subsequent largest factor and attempt to choose up on what traits are occurring inside the sport and be forward of the curve.”

White famous that he believes his Beijing look might be his final competitors, however that doesn’t imply he’s letting go of his board simply but.

“I positively don’t suppose I’ll be leaving the game anytime quickly,” the California native added. “I believe the gorgeous half about snowboarding is there’s nonetheless a life available inside the sport outdoors of competitors. … So, I’m excited for that subsequent chapter.”

Earlier than the Air + Type proprietor introduced his aggressive retirement, his girlfriend, Nina Dobrev, completely instructed Us Weekly how she would really feel about her man stepping again from the Olympics after this 12 months.

“I assist him in no matter determination he makes, at all times,” the Vampire Diaries alum, 33, revealed to Us on Friday, February 4. “He’s the one one who may make these selections. [He’s had] such an extremely lengthy and superb, profitable run of the game. He is aware of when the time is to throw the hat in, and he’s determined that it’s now.”

Whereas Dobrev is just not capable of assist her love in individual, whom she was first linked to in 2020, she’s cheering him on from dwelling.

“We’ll be anxiously watching from dwelling and cheering him on,” she added. “I’m very, very excited for him. I can’t wait. I taped [his event], so it’s on the home, and as quickly as I get dwelling, I’m gonna sit down with my girlfriends and we’re gonna catch up and watch.”

Whereas the Recent Vine Wine founder is an avid supporter of her love’s athletic prowess, White is equally enthusiastic when the pair can hit the slopes collectively.

“What’s been actually nice is she will snowboard very well as a result of I’m not the very best trainer,” White beforehand instructed Us in October 2021. “For some motive, I can do it, however I simply have a very onerous time explaining it how. I keep in mind our first using day collectively, I used to be like, ‘OK, I’m preparing for her to be falling,’ and I zipped down the mountain and I circled. I used to be like, ‘Oh gosh, I hope she’s OK.’ I’m sitting there for a minute and I used to be like, ‘Uh-oh. Do I unstrap and stroll up? Possibly she fell. I’m the horrible man that simply took off.’ She had handed me throughout my run one way or the other. Going method quicker than me. She was already ready on the chairlifts.”

All through White’s skilled profession, he has gone to the Olympics 5 occasions, taking dwelling three medals and incomes his first gold trophy on the Turin 2006 Winter Video games.