INDIANAPOLIS — Hoosier Olympian Nick Goepper is retiring from full-time competition.
He announced his decision on social media Friday, saying he "can't wait to watch the next generation take over and put freeskiing on a global stage."
Goepper, a Lawrenceburg native and East Central High School graduate, is 28 years old. He has won three Olympic medals in slopestyle skiing during his career: a bronze from the 2014 Sochi Games, a silver from the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, and another silver from the 2022 Beijing Games.
Before the Beijing Games, Goepper said his goal was to complete his collection of medals with gold in China. While that didn't quite happen, he said his future was wide open.
NOTE: The above video is from a previous report on Goepper winning silver at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
In his retirement announcement, he said he didn't know what was next, but he'd still be around and skiing.
Goepper is also a four-time X-Games champion and two-time World Championships medalist.
Goepper became an advocate for mental health care in recent years. After the 2014 Winter Olympics, he shared his struggles with substance abuse and suicidal thoughts while suffering from post-Olympics depression.
Goepper said he used human connection to cope and found peace living and training in Utah.
"I think that human connection is the antidote to depression and anxiety," Goepper said. "I don't mean just venting your feelings — that's really important — but really connecting with people, whether that's a spouse, whether that's a friend...even if it's just an animal. Just feeling like you are connecting with something outside yourself."