American Shaun White out of event due to lingering COVID-19

Shaun White’s withdrawal from a key Olympic qualifying event came after he experienced lingering COVID-19 symptoms, including fatigue and shortness of breath. A person familiar with White’s decision told The Associated Press that White’s withdrawal from Saturday night’s U.S. Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain does not impact his plans to compete in Beijing next month. The person requested anonymity because White has not publicly disclosed the reason for his withdrawal.

Last week, White revealed he had tested positive for COVID-19 in December but had been cleared to ride in Mammoth Mountain and was on the mend. White, who had asthma as a child, said the virus was like “a lingering cold.”

White joined champion skier Mikaela Shiffrin and skater Alysa Liu on the list of high-profile Olympic hopefuls to contract COVID-19 in the lead-up to the games.

The U.S. team has until Jan. 21 to name the full snowboarding team. Only one man, Taylor Gold, has secured a spot, but coaches can award up to three discretionary spots on the halfpipe team and White, a threetime Olympic gold medalist who is ranked 14th in the world, meets all the conditions to receive one.

White went through the first run of Saturday’s qualifying round and made it into the finals, where he was a no-show. U.S. coach Mike Jankowski said White had aggravated an ankle injury, but the person who spoke to The AP said it was COVID-19 symptoms that led him to call it a night. This marked the latest setback for the 35-year-old White, who is hoping to compete in his fifth Olympics.