Shaun White Announces Retirement Amid Nina Dobrev Engagement Rumors

Shaun White has announced that the 2022 Winter Olympics will mark his last Games, as well as his final competition overall.

The snowboarding champ, 35, made the announcement Saturday during a men's snowboard halfpipe press conference in the ongoing 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.

"This has all had its amazing glow to every single decision and every single competition because I've decided this will be my last Olympics," White said. "I've given it my all. There have been some ups and downs on the way to get here, but through all that, I feel I've got stronger [and] gotten better."

White — who has competed in four previous Games and won halfpipe gold medals at the 2006, 2010 and 2018 Olympics — added, "In my mind ... I've decided this will be the last competition."

"After the Olympics, I don't compete much after the Games, 'cause it's just so much to get here, so much pressure is weighing on you, and then finally that relief is so wanted and needed," White explained. "And then I usually take the season after the Olympics off, just to focus and kind of get excited about things again ... but it will be my last competition, which is pretty special too."

Although he is retiring, White said he is not leaving the sport altogether. Nina Dobrev's boyfriend clarified that the "beautiful" part about snowboarding is "there's still a life to be had within the sport outside of competition."

White has been enduring ankle, knee and back issues, which he said he considers as "little signs" that helped him make up his mind about retiring at the end of last year, ESPN reported.

White, who also holds the record for most medals won by an individual athlete at the Winter X Games, said that he now feels that he is leaving behind an impressive legacy in the sporting world.

"I've done so much in this sport," White said. "I hope that my riding speaks for itself. I'm always trying to push and progress and do the next biggest things and try to pick up with what trends are happening within the sport and be ahead of that curve."

The athlete also pointed out during an interview with People in December 2021 that he already "accomplished so much" in his "long and amazing" career. He said that at this point in his life, he can look back and say he's had an "incredible" journey.

In his last Olympic competition, White will compete during the men's snowboard halfpipe event. The qualification runs take place Wednesday and the finals Friday.

White's retirement announcement came shortly after rumors that his engagement to the "Vampire Diaries" star is imminent.

An unnamed friend of the couple told Page Six that they "would not be surprised" if an engagement happens "any day now."

The tipster said White and Dobrev share many interests, such as being driven, being into self-healing and well-being and being very spiritual and motivated.

"They've both worked so hard for so many years to make their own careers, so now they've decided that any free minute they get, they spend with each other," the insider added.