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Ahonen: No more of this

When I stood on the podium after the final event in the Four Hills tournament in January, I made the decision then and there.

Janne Ahonen
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Finnish ski jumping great Janne Ahonen has retired after spending 15 seasons at international level.

The 30-year-old, nicknamed the Flying Eagle, took silver at both the 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics in the team large hill event and has five World Championship golds, including the individual normal hill in 1997 and the individual large hill in 2005.

He finished third overall in this season's World Cup and he has 37 wins to his name in that competition, plus 121 top-three finishes.

Ahonen also won the World Cup in 2004 and 2005 and has taken first place in the Four Hills tournament a record-breaking five times.

Reasoning

"When I stood on the podium after the final event in the Four Hills tournament in January, I made the decision then and there," said Ahonen.

"I felt that the decision came clear, that I don't have to go after a sixth win. I did not tell anyone about it, as I wanted to concentrate on the rest of the season.

"I felt I do not have enough motivation to do all the training anymore. It would have been one more hard summer with thinking about my weight."

He has a total 24 medals in world championship and Olympic ski jumping overall and also has made the longest ski jump ever, 240 meters in 2005 at Planica, which is one metre longer than the world record held by Bjorn Einar Romoren of Norway, but was judged as a fall.