Jake Pates, back from retirement, snags last spot in Olympic halfpipe final

Jake Pates’ return to the Olympic stage now includes a finals berth. The 27-year-old American halfpipe rider, who stepped away from competition in 2020 to address mental health challenges, secured the 12th and final spot in the men’s halfpipe final in Livigno, Italy, with a pressure-packed second run on Feb. 11 (ET). He is set to drop first when the title is decided on Feb. 13 (ET).

The long road back

Once a prodigy who made his Olympic debut at 19 in 2018, Pates left elite snowboarding in 2020 after a spiral of doubt, anxiety, and depression. A 2019 concussion compounded the struggle. He has said he initially hid symptoms to avoid being sidelined, only to learn the hard way how serious brain injuries can be. During his time away, he launched the Happy Healthy Brain Foundation to support brain health and awareness, and largely stayed off snow, riding sparingly over several winters.

Four full years outside the contest circuit is an eternity in a sport where tricks and standards evolve at breakneck speed. Pates spent the period recalibrating, focusing on health, and rediscovering why he loved riding in the first place. The goal wasn’t an instant comeback; it was simply to feel whole again.

A clutch qualifying run in Livigno

When it counted most on Feb. 11 (ET), resilience turned into results. Pates crashed on his opening qualifying run, putting his Olympic shot in real jeopardy. With one chance left, he delivered a composed second run that scored 75. 50—just enough to inch past the 74 benchmark he needed to slip into 12th. Then came the wait. One by one, the remaining riders failed to bump him out.

“It was kind of a nailbiter, but we made it happen, ” Pates said afterward. In a field renowned for fine margins, Pates’ margin was razor-thin—and precisely what he needed to extend a story already stretching belief.

Pushed back by friends—and belief

Pates credits longtime friends and rivals in Japan’s Hirano brothers, including Olympic champion Ayumu, with helping him believe a return was possible. Their encouragement and training support nudged him from recreational laps back into high-consequence preparation. About two years after re-entering World Cup events, Pates earned his place on the 2026 U. S. team and headed to Italy. After barely making the Olympic roster, he has now also barely made the final—twice proving the power of persistence.

The final will feature Ayumu Hirano among other contenders, with Pates slated to drop first. Starting order can be a mixed blessing: it sets a tone but also invites others to answer. For a rider carving a comeback on confidence, it may suit him just fine.

What to watch in the final on Feb. 13 (ET)

Pates’ strength has long been style married to amplitude, and his task now is to thread risk and execution under Olympic lights. With a full-strength field chasing big numbers, he will likely need a progressive, cleaner second run if the opener is used to settle nerves and read the pipe. Consistency will be paramount; so will decision-making—especially if conditions fluctuate in Livigno’s high-alpine venue.

Regardless of podium prospects, Pates’ presence in this 12-man showdown marks a comeback few envisioned when he walked away from the sport. He has already reset the narrative from retirement to relevance.

A message beyond medals

At a team news conference before competition, Pates leaned into the mic with a purpose beyond scoresheets. “I think it’s really important to try to find the gratefulness in life and believe in yourself, ” he said, offering encouragement to anyone navigating hard days. “When you do have those tough moments, if you do lose hope and you do lose belief in yourself, you can find it again and you will find it again. You’ve just got to keep pushing. ”

His journey—through injury, self-doubt, and a years-long reset—now reaches an Olympic final in Livigno. However the standings shake out on Feb. 13 (ET), Pates has already landed something lasting: a reminder that a career, and a person, can be rebuilt run by run.