Shaun White will call time on his illustrious career after the Winter Olympics in Beijing next year. 

The 35-year-old American legend, whose three golds are the most by a snowboarder in Olympic history, told the Today Show on Wednesday that his bid for a fifth Olympics will also be his last. 

"Well I haven't really said this too much, so it's going to feel weird coming out of my mouth, but this is my last run," said White, who first burst onto the Olympic scene 20 years ago when he was only 15.  

"It's hard to talk about, you know?" he added. "Because my whole life I've kind of been looked at as somewhat superhuman because I do these things. And a lot of people have always come up to me and just [been] like, 'I don't know how he does it.'"

"And I've prided myself on being that individual. And man, realizing and admitting to myself and everyone else, 'Yeah I'm human.' It's taken a toll." 

The 13-time X-Games gold medalist took three years off from halfpipe competition after his last Olympic title in 2018. He made his comeback earlier this year in fine form and will compete in this week's Dew Tour in Copper Mountain, Colorado and a second qualifying event in California next month.   

A win in either event would guarantee him an Olympic berth in Beijing, where he would become the oldest male halfpipe athlete in Olympic history.