‘Didn’t Want to Leave it to Chance’: Shaun White Doesn’t Want to Rely on ‘Coach Discretion’ for Fifth Olympic Appearance

A 5th Olympic appearance is still in question for 3-time Olympic gold medalist, Shaun White. As the final names for Team USA are to be announced, White’s future remains uncertain.

White is currently ranked 4th in the USA and is hoping that he makes the cut. Not to forget, whether or not he qualifies, this will be Shaun White’s last Olympic Games.

In view of this, White has made a final attempt to raise his ranking points by participating in the LAAX Open, Switzerland.

Why did Shaun White take part in the LAAX Open?

As the names of the final team are being finalized, Shaun White needs to raise his ranking in order to make the cut. White is dedicated to the cause and wants to represent Team USA in the Winter Olympics one last time.

Therefore, to do so, White has flown to Switzerland to take part in the LAAX Open. Not only him, but several other athletes have also joined him, attempting to raise their rankings.

Just last week, White opted out of the final qualifiers citing recovery concerns. He felt it would not be right for him to perform if he wasn’t on his A-game.

White has revealed that he does not want to take any chances, as this will be his last Olympics. Hence, the 35-year-old is doing everything he can do to make sure he travels to Beijing.

“I wanted to make sure I locked it up,” said White.

The athlete doesn’t want to leave it up to luck and rather get the job done himself. That explains why Shaun is still trying to work on his rankings.

“I didn’t want to leave it to chance or question or a vote or something,” added White.

Currently, Shaun White is the most experienced athlete out there and is fighting for a chance to win a fourth gold medal. Notably, if White fails to make it past the qualifiers, his only option will be to receive a ‘coach’s discretionary’ pick.

White doesn’t believe in taking chances

Furthermore, Shaun White revealed he had a word with the team about his nomination, and didn’t receive a satisfactory answer. At this point, there is no guarantee that White will make the team.

Perhaps this is what encouraged him to participate in the LAAX Open.

“I had a word with the team about it, but I didn’t really get that answer I was looking for. So it’s very…yeah, I was just kind of like, ‘I’d better not leave this to chance,'” said White.

As White battles it all one last time, we certainly hope the athlete can represent Team USA once again and prove why he is the worthy holder of the GOAT title.

READ MORE: Can Shaun White Still Earn a Spot for the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022 After Missing Out on Olympic Qualifiers Final Event?