Shaun White shares that he tested positive for Covid, can compete at U.S. qualifiers

Three-time Olympic snowboard champion Shaun White has shared that he tested positive for Covid but is able to take part in the final qualifying event for Beijing 2022 this weekend.

The American told Olympics.com in an interview on Thursday (6 January) that he had experienced symptoms of the virus but was now recovering.

"I unfortunately got Covid over the holidays, and now I'm bouncing back from it, and it's not been a fun experience," he said.

White revealed that the positive result came after competing in the Dew Tour event which finished on 19 December 2021, but that he was now cleared to compete at the U.S. Grand Prix Mammoth Mountain event, with snowboard halfpipe qualifiers starting on Friday (7 January).

"I'm just thankful that like I started testing negative before this competition, so I'm allowed to compete because that would have been a real frustrating position to be in to where, you know, it's the last qualifier and I can't ride," he shared.

''I had asthma as a kid and I have a heart condition. So you know, anything to do with lungs and respiratory is not so great and it's just been like this lingering cold."

PyeongChang 2018, Vancouver 2010, and Torino 2006 gold medallist White is hoping to defend his halfpipe title at the Winter Games in February.

Now 35, White also told Olympics.com in the build up to Beijing 2022 that he was preparing for life after the sport, hinting at the possibility of starting a family, and telling us "There is so much more to life than just sports."