By Jack Tarrant
TOKYO (Reuters) - American snowboarder Shaun White, who won his third gold medal in the men's halfpipe at the 2018 Winter Olympics in February, is now eyeing the debut skateboarding events at Tokyo 2020.
White, who won skateboard Vert gold at the 2007 X Games, has yet to make up his mind but said after winning the award for best male athlete at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics at the Association of National Olympic Committee ceremony in Tokyo, that he missed the Olympic buzz.
"I would love to be a winter/summer Olympian and to be a medallist would be next level. So, I am slowly making my way towards that goal but I haven't officially decided, but yeah … It's in my sights for sure," White said on Wednesday.
If White were to go on and win a skateboarding medal in Tokyo, he would become only the sixth person to claim medals at both winter and summer Games. The most recent athlete to do so was American Lauryn Williams, in sprinting and bobsleigh.
Meanwhile, Italian short track speed skater Arianna Fontana, who won her first Olympic gold in Pyeongchang, picked up the award for best female athlete.
"After the Olympics in February I was so happy with what I did, winning three medals and my first Olympic (gold) medal that I was chasing for year," the 28-year-old said.
"There are so many great athletes out there and being nominated best female athlete at the Olympics is something really amazing," Fontana added.
There was also an award given to the Unified Korean ice hockey team, who received the "Inspiring Hope Through Sport" award after competing under one flag at Pyeongchang.
(Reporting by Jack Tarrant; Editing by Alexander Smith)