How old is the flying tomato

It was concern for his health that led his mother to stop him from skiing — but when he got hold of a snowboard it became obvious quickly what an outstanding talent he was. His sporting success is impressive: , at age 19, he won his first gold on the half pipe at the winter games in Turin.

He defended his title in Vancouver four years later, scoring a record At the Winter X Games — the top snowboarding competition aside from the Winter Olympics — he still holds the record for being the first and only athlete to ever score the full points. But Shaun White is not only an outstanding athlete — he also boasts considerable business skills.

At the age of seven he signed his first sponsorship deal. In recent years he has been promoted by several big names — Red Bull even built him a special half pipe in the mountains of Colorado.

But since then he's developed more autonomy and has pursued his own projects: He has his own fashion label, develops video games, and has made appearances on television shows. In addition to prize money and sponsorships, White's wide range of commercial projects ensure him an income of several million dollars per year — useful for a man who owns a nine-million dollar mansion.

In Vancouver he was the top earner among the athletes — and that will also be the case in Sochi this year. One of the most accomplished snowboarders of all time, Shaun White became a household name at the Turin Olympics, winning gold in the men's halfpipe. With his long red locks peeking out from under his helmet, White earned the nickname "Flying Tomato," capturing the imagination of fans all over the globe.

White struggled in his first qualification run, finishing seventh, with only the top six directly qualified for the final. He flipped the switch in his second run, and had the best score, putting him into the person final.

That was my very first thought after I hit that I had to get up to the top and do it again. White said he never planned to unveil that trick this season, until he was pushed to perfect it after losing out in a competition to compatriot Danny Davis.

But now that he has done it, he plans to keep it, though he is still trying to figure out an appropriate name for the move. In , Lena Zawaideh, the former drummer of White's rock band, filed a lawsuit against the snowboarding champ. The suit alleged that White had forced her to look at sexually explicit images and videos and had wrongfully terminated her from the band. A settlement was reached the following year.

The issue was revived during White's turn in the Olympic spotlight in early Asked to discuss the allegations in a press conference following his halfpipe victory, he said he was "here to talk about the Olympics, not gossip. We strive for accuracy and fairness.

If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. Vanna White is the longtime co-host of the popular game show 'Wheel of Fortune.

Writer E. He was the organization's executive secretary from to His long jump world record stood for 25 years. Jamaica's Usain Bolt is an Olympic legend who has been called "the fastest man alive" for smashing world records and winning multiple gold medals at the , and Summer Games.