Jenna Bush Hager had one of the best seats in the house for the men’s halfpipe snowboarding competition, yet the dramatic evening of chills, thrills and many spills almost left her unable to watch.
“It was a really exciting night even though I covered my eyes for most of it,” she said about Tuesday night's competition.
Watch the video: Shaun White lost gold, but not Olympic spirit
American fans came to cheer on snowboarding king Shaun White, who surprisingly failed to medal after attempting to grab his third consecutive Olympic gold.
“I went for it,” he told Bush Hager just moments after the defeat. “I went for the win and it just wasn't working out. It wasn't my night.”
The same could be said for his American teammates, including Greg Bretz, who finished last among the 12 competitors. Danny Davis, who placed 10th, put on a brave face for the public but told Bush Hager that, "maybe down inside I’m crying a little.”
On Wednesday, White said he may consider another attempt at gold during the 2018 Winter Games in South Korea. For now, he wants to learn from his mistakes and move on.
“These are the moments that really make me stronger,” he said. “I can come back and go see my friends and go play music with my band, Bad Things. Stop thinking about snowboarding for a while and then come back to it.”