Shaun White Makes Olympics History with Gold-Medal Finale
It was a thrilling finish for American snowboarder Shaun White. The athlete made history Tuesday night by becoming the first snowboarder to win three Olympic gold medals. USA Today sports reporter A.J. Perez weighs in on the significance of this moment.
"He's grown up before our eyes," says Perez about White. In his gold medal-winning ride, White scored back-to-back 1440s, four full aerial revolutions, which is a combination he reportedly had never even completed prior to Tuesday night.
"He's still the best in the sport," says Perez. "If he comes back in four years, I wouldn't be surprised."
At the press conference following his win, White faced questions over allegations of sexual misconduct from reporters. White dodged questions by saying he was "here to talk about the Olympics, not gossip."
Perez notes that White went on The Today Show after the presser and apologized for the gossip comment.
NHL players will be allowed to use Pride tape this season after all with the reversal of a ban that sparked a backlash around hockey and among LGBTQ+ advocates in sports.
The NBA’s 78th season starts Tuesday, with a ring ceremony in Denver — the traditional celebration of the reigning champions — highlighting the opening-night celebration. The Nuggets beat Miami last June to become the league’s fifth different champion in the last five years, a run of parity the likes of which the league hasn’t seen in more than 40 years.
The Las Vegas Aces became the first team in 21 years to win back-to-back WNBA championships, getting 24 points and 16 rebounds from A’ja Wilson and a defensive stop in the closing seconds to beat the New York Liberty 70-69 in Game 4 of the Finals.
