American snowboarder Shaun White did not even medal in the 2014 Winter Olympics, but he wants to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
“I think so,” the American snowboarder told Matt Lauer on Wednesday.
He will be 31 in 2018, but believes he still has it in him to compete. He won the gold in 2006 and 2010 and there was much pressure for him to three-peat in 2014. He ended up in fourth on the halfpipe. Switzerland’s Iouri Podladtchikov, affectionately known as I-Pod, won the medal and stuck the 1440 “YOLO” jump that White couldn’t land. Ayumo Hirano and Taku Hiraokas, both of Japan, took the silver and bronze. The event was introduced at the 1998 games in Nagano, Japan and it was the first time an American was not on the podium.
White only competed in the halfpipe. He withdrew from the slopestyle event because of safety concerns. This was criticized by his peers, but he may have had a point. Czech snowboarder Sarka Pancochova crashed so hard her helmet broke on the hard surface. Merika Enne of Finland crashed and left on a stretcher and American Taylor Gold said the slope was kind of scary.
White will take time off and travel with his rock band. He told Lauer the defeat will stick with him for awhile.