Janne Ahonen to return to ski-jumping

Elusive individual Olympic medal facilitated ex-maestro’s comeback decision

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The real news of the weekend’s Lahti Ski Games 2009 came only after the competions had ended. Ski-jumping legend Janne Ahonen announced his comeback to the sport.
      The matter was first reported by the Ilta-Sanomat late-edition tabloid on its web pages, and by the Finnish commercial television channel MTV3 in its sports newscast Tulosruutu.
     
On brief consideration after the initial shock, , Ahonen’s comeback news is hardly a huge surprise to anyone. Last spring Ahonen announced with tears in his eyes his decision to quit the sport.
      He said then that the drive to compete is still there, but the summer training and the continuous weight management was taking its toll on an ageing man.
     
In his career, Ahonen, 31, has won nearly everything possible. He has more junior and senior World Championship medals than you can throw a stick at.
      Only one thing is missing: an Olympic medal in an individual event.
      For the 2009/2010 season Ahonen has got three goals. Number one will be the Vancouver Winter Olympics, and number two is the Four Hills Tournament either side of the New Year, which Ahonen has won a record-breaking five times. The third event of interest to Ahonen - as to any ski-jumper worth his salt - is the Ski-flying World Championships that will also take place next season.
     
And if and when Ahonen gets back into the sport he will do it wholeheartedly. Ahonen has maintained his connections with the discipline.
      Ahonen’s return to the sport is joyous news also to the Finnish ski-jumping head coach Janne Väätäinen. Any ski-jumping coach would be glad to welcome a jumper of Ahonen’s stature back into his team.
      Ahonen is a perfectionist, whose knowledge of the sport accumulated through the years will benefit the entire Finnish team.
      Ahonen’s age is hardly a hindrance to his comeback. Japanese jumpers Noriaki Kasai, 35 and Takanobu Okabe, 39, continue to compete near the very top of the sport.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Janne Ahonen answers HS readers´ questions: Over-long jumps have no business in the sport (22.4.2008)
  Janne Ahonen announces retirement from ski-jumping (26.3.2008)

Links:
  Official Website
  Team Eagle Racing Motorsport (Ahonen is no slouch at this sport, either)
  Janne Ahonen (Wikipedia)

Helsingin Sanomat