Shaun White "relieved" after booking place in Beijing 2022 halfpipe final to continue Olympic title defence and extend his career
"Finals, here we go" said three-time gold medallist White, after coming through a tense qualifying run at his fifth Winter Olympics. The Team USA star will compete for medals on Friday in his last career competition.
Snowboard
Shaun White booked a spot in the final of the snowboard men's halfpipe at Beijing 2022, to extend his career by two more days, but it was not without drama.
White began his fifth Olympic appearance with a fall on the first of his two runs on Wednesday (9 February), and needed a clean second run to qualify.
The American three-time gold medallist scored 86.25 to place fourth overall and will be one of the 12 who compete for the medals on Friday.
"I can't tell you how relieved I was, riding out of that last double-12, just phew, feeling good," he told Olympics.com after qualifying.
"I didn't know the score but I figured it was hopefully enough to get me in and I'm just so proud. Proud to put it down and proud to go into finals."
"Finals, here we go" - Shaun White
White is the defending champion following his 2018 title win, but even the biggest name in the sport admitted to pre-competition nerves.
"Honestly I would be lying to say I wasn't nervous. That first run was great, I was making my way through, everything was perfect, and then I think I just let off the gas a little bit and a couple of inches less rotating [than required] and I was sliding on my back thinking, "wow I have one more chance to get this done.' It's not a position I like to be in, but it's not one I haven't been in before,"
"So I'm then on the chairlift and I have to wait almost an hour for my next chance, and I'm just trying to stay positive but there's a lot of 'wow, it's your last Olympics and you might not make it into finals,' circling in my head. I had to push that aside, focus, get down to business and get that run in."
The 35-year-old announced after arriving in China that these Beijing 2022 Games would be his final snowboarding competition, making this last qualifying event ever.
"I've learned over the years to deal with that pressure, and to kind of internalise it and use that focus to get it done, but gosh it's always the same. Pressure is pressure, and you've got to learn to deal with it, and that's what makes a great competitor."
"I would definitely prefer not [to have pressure]. I would like to just get it done nice and easy, and have a fun run to try to boost the score, but anyways let's brush this off, and finals here we go."
White on final berth
Fellow American snowboard star Chloe Kim booked her place in Thursday's women's final earlier on Wednesday, and White's run made it a successful day for Team USA at the Secret Garden course.
"For me, this Olympics has been incredible, and just to be here has been such a pleasure, such an honour," White continued to Olympics.com in Zhangjiakou, before turning his attention to Friday's final.
"Looking around, a lot of the coaches and staff here are people I used to compete with, so the fact that I'm still doing it at this point and still giving the younger generation a hard time...
"I just want to put down some great runs and I'll be proud of that and we'll see what happens. I'm a competitor. I want to win more than anything. I want to do everything I can in these last Olympics."
Shaun WHITE
White among top qualifiers for Friday's final
Japan's Hirano Ayumu, who took part in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games skateboard competition in 2021, impressed with his halfpipe scores of 93.25 and 87.25 to lead the way in China.
PyeongChang 2018 bronze medallist and three-time world champion Scotty James of Australia scored 91.25 and 88.25 in his runs.
"It was a lot of fun, riding a big 22ft halfpipe in China at the Olympic Games is pretty fun," James told Olympics.com after his qualification was confirmed.
"A lot of hard work went into this... so it's important to be able to come out and at least smile for a few seconds. That's what I did. Happy to execute and move to the finals."
Shaun White Beijing 2022 Olympic schedule in snowboard halfpipe
Monday 9th February 2022
Men's Snowboard Halfpipe Qualification Run 1
12:30 - 13:19 (Beijing time)
Men's Snowboard Halfpipe Qualification Run 2 - Event complete. Shaun White qualified for final.
13:21 - 14:10 (Beijing time)
Friday 11th February 2022
Men's Snowboard Halfpipe Qualification Final, runs 1-3
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