Veteran Winter Olympians: Embodiments of the Olympic Spirit (2)

 Shaun White: "I wish I would've done better but I did what I could. I'm proud."

American three-time gold medalist in snowboarding Shaun White, who has pushed the limits of snowboarding for over a decade, ended his legendary career after his last ever competitive halfpipe run at Beijing 2022.

At 35, White was the oldest snowboarder in the men's halfpipe final, being seven years older than the next-oldest snowboarder: his 28-year-old American compatriot Taylor Gold. In his farewell performance last Friday, White perfectly executed his patented Double McTwist 1260 and then a front side 1260 as a finishing touch to his second run. At the end, however, he finished in fourth place after falling in his third and final run. Even though White didn't make it to the podium, the moment was also a chance for White to say so long to a sport he has hovered over for so long.

After the Games, Shaun removed his helmet and waved it in the air, breaking into a big smile. He stopped at the scoring area, hugging his competitors – who lined up to congratulate him on his incredible career – and shedding into tears. The weight of the moment gripped the veteran athlete, bearing witness to his having competed for 25 years in the sport and his contribution to changing the landscape for competitive halfpipe. Although he will leave the 2022 Winter Games without a medal in hand, his indelible legacy will live on.

"It's just an emotional day for me," White told the Associated Press. "I wish I would've done better, but I did what I could. I'm proud ."