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Shaun White Falls in Halfpipe Event, Gets Fourth Place at Sochi Olympics

Shaun White after competing in the Snowboard Men's Halfpipe Finals
After falling on his first run, Shaun White came in fourth place in the Men's Snowboard Halfpipe Event at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics on Feb. 11, missing his chance at making Olympic history.

No medal for Shaun White. The 27-year-old American professional snowboarder came in fourth place in the Men’s Snowboard Halfpipe event at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi on Tuesday, Feb. 11.

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White fell in his first run, and scored a total of 90.25 after his second. The score put him in fourth place, below gold medal winner Louri Podladtchikov from Switzerland (94.75), silver medal winner Ayumu Hirano from Japan (93.50) and bronze medal winner Taku Hirano from Japan (92.25).

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White had a lot riding on the Halfpipe Event. Having won the gold medal in the same event at the 2010 Vancouver games and 2006 Turin games, White would have been the first American man to win three Olympics gold medals in one event, had he won.

shaun white falling
Shaun White fell during his first run in the Men’s Snowboard Halfpipe Event at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics on Feb. 11.

The athlete also missed an opportunity to compete in the first-ever Men’s Slopestyle Event on Saturday, Feb. 8. White decided to drop out of the contest “to focus solely on trying to bring home the third straight gold medal in halfpipe for Team USA,” he said in a statement to NBC’s Today show on Feb. 5. Fellow Team USA athlete Sage Kotsenburg took home the gold medal in the event instead.

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Before White competed in Tuesday’s Halfpipe Event, he posted a personal video message to his fans. “Well, I guess this is interesting for me because I’ve never really taken the time to thank my fans before a competition and everyone who supported me along the way. I can’t do it without you. You’re the best,” he said in the emotional clip. “Halfpipe Finals is tomorrow. I’m beside myself. I want to do the best, not only for myself, but for you guys. So, wish me luck and here we go!”

For more on the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi — including personal stories from the Team USA athletes, and tons of photos — pick up Us Weekly’s special Olympics bookazine!

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