Shaun White out of slopestyle event at Sochi
Shaun White has withdrawn from the slopestyle event in Sochi, according to a statement given to The Today Show.
“After much deliberation with my team, I have made the decision to focus solely on trying to bring home the third straight gold medal in halfpipe for Team USA,” White said in a statement, according to The Today Show. “The difficult decision to forego slopestyle is not one I take lightly as I know how much effort everyone has put into holding the slopestyle event for the first time in Olympic history, a history I had planned on being part of.”
[Photos: Shaun White withdraws from slopestyle event in Sochi]
White had been scheduled to participate in qualifying for the first-ever slopestyle event at Rosa Khutor Extreme Park on Thursday, but suffered a wrist injury while practicing.
"It's frustrating to see it," White told the AP after his injury. "It puts a damper on the whole mood, and it's kind of like you're getting ready to do a big trick and you see something like that. Intimidating. Unfortunate. I'm hoping the builders can make some changes and the course has a little more of a friendly vibe. But I can't change the course. Just doing the best I can."
The course is now responsible for two competitors pulling out of the event; on Monday, Torstein Horgmo of Norway suffered a broken collarbone and will be unable to compete.
White will now focus solely on the halfpipe event, where he will seek to become the first U.S. man to win the same event three times.
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