Roughly one hour after fielding questions about the challenge of juggling both the Olympic halfpipe and slopestyle competitions, two-time halfpipe champion Shaun White appeared on NBC and announced that he was withdrawing from the inaugural slopestyle competition, saying that ‘the potential risk of injury is a bit too much for me to gamble my other Olympic goals on.’
(Washington Post, February 5, 2014)
In other words, this three-time Olympian is conceding that the extreme-style snowboarding he pioneered has become so, well, extreme that it’s only for the kind of athlete he used to be, not the kind (of corporate spokesman) he has become.
But what kind of sports hero would (then three-time Olympian) Michael Phelps be today if he had pulled out of half of his events in Beijing to give himself a better shot at winning the other half?
He would be just another Olympian, who won four gold medals, instead of the greatest Olympian, who won eight gold medals in a single Olympics. And if you don’t believe me, consider this: Matt Biondi won five gold medals in Swimming at the Seoul Olympics in 1988. Yet his is hardly a household name, and he never enjoyed one-quarter of Phelps’s fortune and fame.
Interestingly enough, Shaun’s retreat is brought into emasculating exposure when you consider that Australia’s Torah Bright, arguably the top female snowboarder at these Winter Games, is ploughing ahead with competition in not one but three events.
Then, of course, there’s the prevailing suspicion that the real reason Shaun is withdrawing is that he fears being humiliated on the world stage in this event by better snowboarders.
Whatever the case, good luck playing it safe on the halfpipe, Shaun!
Corporate sponsors should beware, however, that this move disqualifies him from ever being hailed as a great Olympian. Because a great Olympian is one who embraces the personal challenge and spirit of competition inherent in the Olympic motto: Citius – Altius – Fortius (i.e. to go faster, higher, and stronger). Not one who wimps out in the face of that challenge and competition.
Let the Games begin!