The Winter Olympics have seen some big stars swoop in and snag the accolades. One dazzler was American snowboarder Shaun White. He claimed gold in men’s halfpipe at three Olympics. Fans loved watching his career dazzle. He threw in the towel after placing fourth at Beijing 2022. But is he back for this year’s event?

Is Shaun White competing in the Olympics this year?

As much as there has been noise behind him, White won’t be carving up the halfpipe at the 2026 Winter Olympics. The five-time Olympian officially stepped away from competition after announcing during the 2022 Games that it would be his last ride. He later confirmed it was his final event altogether, closing out an era that defined snowboarding for nearly two decades.

A three-time gold medalist and one of Team USA’s most recognizable faces, White was a constant presence at the Olympics through the 2000s and 2010s. Now nearing 40, he’s heading back to the Winter Games in Milan, just not as a competitor. This time, he’s taking on a whole new role with NBC.

NBC revealed that White will join the broadcast team during the Opening Ceremony, lending his voice to the Parade of Nations as athletes from around the world make their grand entrance. It’s a fitting full-circle moment for someone who’s experienced that electric walk more than once.

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“I’m so excited to be part of the Opening Ceremony for the Milan Cortina Olympics,” White said in a statement on his NBC role. “The Olympics have been such a huge part of my life, and to return in this new role — celebrating the athletes, the energy, and the incredible backdrop of Italy — is truly an honor. I know what that moment means when the world is watching, and I can’t wait to help bring that magic to everyone at home.”

Shaun may be sitting this one out, but his flair on the snow has already spoken for itself. His medals and unforgettable runs say everything about the legacy he’s built.

How many Olympic games did Shaun White participate in?

White’s Olympic story spans five unforgettable stops: Turin 2006, Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, and Beijing 2022.

Vancouver 2010 was peak Shaun White. He ruled the halfpipe with massive air and crisp execution, claiming his second straight gold. The win cemented his place as snowboarding’s biggest star. His jaw-dropping “Double McTwist 1260” became a move that defined a generation.

Sochi 2014 told a different story. A sudden course change rattled his rhythm, and he missed the podium by a whisker, finishing fourth. It was a rare stumble for the usually untouchable champion. Even legends have off days.

In PyeongChang 2018, Shaun White came roaring back. The pressure was heavy, his legacy on the line. Yet he delivered two electrifying runs that silenced all doubt and reclaimed Olympic gold.

Beijing 2022 was his love letter to the sport. One last run. One final Olympic spotlight. He didn’t win a medal, but the ovation told a bigger story. White left snowboarding the way he transformed it.

Now, he’s back under the NBC banner for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Games. It’s a familiar gig. White brought the same energy to NBC’s coverage of the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympics.

How old was Shaun White when he first went to the Olympics?

The California kid, already known as “The Flying Tomato,” wasn’t just making his Olympic debut; he was ready to take over the halfpipe. Born on September 3, 1986, he turned 19 just months before the Games opened on February 10, and he arrived in Italy as one of snowboarding’s brightest young stars.

The American had already proven himself long before Turin. After dominating U.S. trials and early pro events, he qualified as a teenager and carried the weight of major expectations. That week in Italy, he delivered spectacularly, soaring to his very first Olympic gold medal in men’s snowboard halfpipe and announcing himself as a global sensation.

“It was heavy. I don’t know. I think everything just changed. It went from me going outside to being kind of recognized, or maybe recognized, to I was going to get spotted. Somebody was going to say something to me,” Shaun White later told NBC Sports at the Forbes Under 30 Summit in 2015.

That gold run in Turin was more than just a win. It launched a five-Olympics journey, turning the once-unknown prodigy into the face of modern snowboarding and proving, even back then, that Shaun White was built for the big stage.

How many Olympic medals did Shaun White win?

Shaun never settled for anything less than gold. While other snowboarding legends have captured medals in three different Olympics, he’s the only one who turned every trip to the podium into pure gold. Many sources claim that it’s almost as if he’s allergic to silver and bronze.

In 2024, after stacking up titles and memories, Shaun White took his passion off the slopes and into innovation. He launched The Snow League, a global professional winter sports league spotlighting snowboarding and freeskiing, with competitions airing on NBC Sports and Peacock.

Joe Gesue, Senior Vice President of Olympics and Paralympics programming at NBC, called it an “innovative new venture.” And while White won’t be carving up the snow this year, fans have plenty of golden moments from his iconic runs to relive.