He just can’t help it: The living ski jumping legend Janne Ahonen returned to the hill at the weekend and once again fought for gold, silver and bronze at the national championships in Rovaniemi. In contrast to last year, however, the 45-year-old Finn went away empty-handed this time.
Last year, Janne Ahonen made the Finnish Ski Jumping Championships his personal show event. At that time, the now 45-year-old retired and jumped straight onto the podium and won the bronze medal. A success that he wanted to repeat last weekend. But this time the living legend had nothing to do with awarding the medals.
After jumps of 85 and 86 meters, Ahonen missed another top result. But that wasn’t a problem at all for the oldie. “The most important thing is that I enjoyed it,” Ahonen told Finnish Radio after the competition.
Ahonen smiles away comeback rumors
And something else pleased the living legend. “What warms my heart the most is that I’m not the best ski jumper in our family anymore,” joked Ahonen, whose 21-year-old son Mico Ahonen finished behind him last year. With jumps of 92 and 93 meters, however, he clearly outperformed his “old man” this time.
“Now it’s finally happened!”, Mico Ahonen also looked at the private duel with his father with a dose of humor. “I tried for so long and that was one of my goals,” he said of the family victory.
The former world-class jumper did not want to say whether Janne Ahonen’s performance in Rovaniemi was his last. He skilfully smiled at the corresponding questions and said: “It was a tough season. It lasted half a day. Let the snow melt first and then we’ll see.”
