Photo/Illutration Ayumu Hirano celebrates after his gold-winning run at the men’s snowboard halfpipe final at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Feb. 11, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (The Asahi Shimbun/ Nobuhiro Shirai)

BEIJING--Japan’s Ayumu Hirano has won gold with a boundary-pushing run in the men’s halfpipe at the Beijing Olympics. Three-time gold medalist Shaun White was fourth in what he has said would be his final competition.

There was no doubt over the winner after Hirano’s electric performance as the last rider to go. His run included an intricate and unprecedented series of flips and spins that pushed a sport obsessed with progression to new heights. His score of 96 reflected that and the two-time Olympic silver medalist moved past Scotty James of Australia. Jan Scherrer of Switzerland took bronze.

White fell on the final run of a career that’s seen the American star win three Olympic titles. He lifted up his goggles and waved to the crowd on his way down the halfpipe. He teared up as the sparse crowd bid adieu and his fellow riders lined up to hug him.

“I wanted it,” White said. “My legs were giving out on me every hit.”

The stage was being set for some controversy after the second run. James took over the lead with his second attempt. Hirano followed with an impressive run that included the difficult-to-do triple cork, but wasn’t rewarded by the judges. The crowd booed and social media was buzzing.

Shaun White remained in fourth place after his second run in his final Winter Games as Scotty James of Australia jumped into the lead.

The three-time Olympic champion White scored an 85 and was momentarily in second before strong runs by James and Ayumu Hirano of Japan. There’s one run to go.

The 35-year-old White executed his same run as he did in the opening, including his patented Double McTwist 1260 and then a frontside 1260 at the end, but this time made no mistakes. He pumped his board in excitement after finishing.

Hirano turned in the most difficult run but couldn’t surpass James. The sparse crowd booed over the scoring by the judges. The announcer called it one of the greatest runs ever.

First-run leader Taylor Gold fell to fifth.

American snowboarder Taylor Gold grabbed the lead after the first run of the Olympic halfpipe competition, with Shaun White sitting in fourth place in his final Winter Games appearance.

Gold scored an 81.75, earning the judge’s respect with his stylistic performance in the first of three runs. He may not have gone as big as other riders but was technically solid all the way through his run.

White started off strong in his bid for a fourth Olympic gold medal. The 35-year-old executed his patented Double McTwist 1260 and then a frontside 1260 at the end. His only real mistake was landing on his heel edge after his second trick, which slowed him down.

Ayumu Hirano of Japan set the bar high by landing his difficult-to-do triple cork 1440, which would’ve been good enough for first, but he fell later on the run. Hirano sat in ninth place.

Many of the top riders struggled on their opening run, including Scotty James of Australia. Wearing his trademark red boxing-glove mittens--he views competitions as a title fight--he fell on his first run.

Mikaela Shiffrin is ready to have some “fun” when she returns to Olympic action in the super-G..

Shiffrin posted on Twitter early Friday morning in China to say she’s grateful “to have the opportunity to refocus on a new race, in the sport that I love so much.”

The two-time Olympic gold medalist is off to a rough start at the Beijing Games.

She went off-course within about 10 seconds in the giant slalom on Monday and after about half as much time in the slalom on Wednesday.

“I’ve had a lot of support over the last 48 hours,” Shiffrin wrote Friday, “and I have to thank everyone for that.”

The 26-year-old American won each of those events at past Games.

She has never entered an Olympic super-G before but did win that race at the 2019 world championships.

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