Olympics-Snowboarding-Australia's James looking forward to 'good battle' with Hirano

ZHANGJIAKOU, China (Reuters) - Australia's Scotty James said on Saturday he is looking forward to a "good battle" with Japanese snowboarder Ayumu Hirano in the Beijing Games halfpipe and that he will be sad to see three-time gold medallist Shaun White retire from the Olympic stage.

Hirano won silver at Sochi 2014 and Pyeongchang 2018 and is gunning for gold in Beijing.

"He's a very talented individual and I look forward to having a good battle with him," said James, who won bronze at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games.

James was also looking forward to coming up against White for the last time at an Olympics, describing the 35-year-old American as an "incredible athlete".

The entire snowboarding community would be sad if Beijing was indeed his last Olympics, said James.

"I obviously grew up watching Shaun," he said, adding that seeing him become a rival on the halfpipe was "quite cool".

(Reporting by Mari Saito; Editing by Peter Rutherford)

Medals Ceremony - Snowboarding - Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Men's Halfpipe - Medals Plaza - Pyeongchang, South Korea - February 14, 2018 - Silver medalist Ayumu Hirano of Japan on the podium. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo

FILE PHOTO: Medals Ceremony - Snowboarding - Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympics - Men's Halfpipe - Medals Plaza - Pyeongchang, South Korea - February 14, 2018 - Bronze medalist Scotty James of Australia on the podium. REUTERS/Kim Hong-Ji/File Photo

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