Olympics: Vancouver 2010 ones to watch – Shaun White
Vancouver (AFP) – Penpix of stars to watch at the February 12-28 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver:
SNOWBOARD
Shaun White
Halfpipe champion Shaun White is bidding for his second Olympic gold and it would take a brave punter to bet against the “Flying Tomato” adding to his stellar list of snowboarding prizes.
White turned the Olympic final in Turin four years ago into a procession after being awarded an outstanding mark of 46.8 points out of 50 in the first leg.
The US rider, who fell in the first set of heats, had the luxury of knowing he was Olympic champion before starting his second run in the final, beating compatriot Daniel Kass into second place.
By the time he arrived at the 2006 Games, the Californian had won several snowboarding titles at the Winter X Games, as well as most of the major competitions.
The redhead, a four-time gold medallist in superpipe and five-times winner in slopestyle at the Winter X Games, in 2007 became the first athlete to win a gold medal at both the summer and winter versions of the games.
Already a veteran of the sport at 23, White became, at 13, one of the youngest athletes to sign up with a major equipment supplier and turn professional. He even has his own videogame.
His chances in Vancouver have been boosted further by the absence of two potential rivals and teammates, Kevin Pearce and Danny Davis.
Pearce suffered a serious head injury in training on December 31 after striking his head on the side of the halfpipe while attempting a cab double cork — a difficult twisting double back flip.
Pearce is among the few riders to have beaten White in head-to-head competition in recent years.
Meanwhile, US snowboarder Danny Davis suffered a spinal fracture in a quad bike accident Sunday and will not compete in Vancouver. Davis upset White at a qualifying event earlier this month with an unprecedented three double corks.
