Shaun White on halfpipe snowboarding at Milano Cortina 2026: “We might see tricks that have never been done in competition at these Olympics.”
Five-time Olympian Shaun White on the uniqueness of the Olympic experience and the athletes he’ll be cheering on
White reflects on how the Olympics Games experience stands out from other competitions. “When you’re there, something I didn’t fully realise until later on, you’re really representing your country,” White says. “You’re representing more than just yourself.”
That shared experience is what sets the Olympic Games apart. “In most competitions, it’s very individual. You’re focused on your own training, your own event,” he explains. “Then you get to the Olympics and suddenly you’re rooting for the hockey team, the curlers, the bobsledders. Everyone’s rocking the same uniforms. There’s this glow, this buzz, this warmth and excitement that’s unlike anything else.”
“It’s a feeling you just don’t get at other competitions,” he adds. “There’s nothing like it.”
At Milano Cortina 2026, White is eager to soak it all in from the sidelines and to cheer on the athletes who inspire him most. “Eileen Gu—she’s a legend,” he says. “Her dedication to training, her ability in the halfpipe. And Chloe [Kim] has a league of her own.”
On the men’s side, “obviously there’s the heroes, you’ve got Scotty James, Ayumu, the defending champion.” White also likes what he’s seeing from Team USA’s 17-year-old Alessandro Barbieri who competes in The Snow League competition series launched by White following his retirement.
Barbieri has finished fourth in both events, but his reaction to missing the podium is what caught White’s attention, “He was noticeably angry, he’s frustrated, he’s flustered. He was definitely in this space of ‘I know I can win, I just haven’t cracked the code on it yet.’ You could just see him breaking it down in his mind.” That reflection and drive earned White’s respect, “He’s somebody that I think is incredibly talented, motivated, great style, great personality, and I’m super impressed.”
