Hamburg  - Janne Ahonen announced Monday that he is to return to ski-jumping less than a year after announcing his retirement from the sport, the Finnish STT news agency reported Monday.

Ahonen called time on his career in March 2008, just two and a half months after claiming a record fifth title at the prestigious Four Hills tour, saying he no longer had the drive to train and wanted to call it a day at the peak of his powers.

However, the 31-year-old Finn has now changed his mind and is focused on trying to win a first individual Olympic title in Vancouver in 2010, securing another Four Hills crown as well as competing in the ski-flying world championships next season.

"I am confident that I will return in top condition," said Ahonen, who amassed a total 36 World Cup wins in a career spanning 15 years, including a record 12 in one season
2004/2005.

He won the overall World Cup twice, has a large hill world title from 2005 but never won an individual medal at the Olympics.

"I am going to give 100 per cent to training but won't compete in every World Cup event. I can be successful in Vancouver," said Ahonen.

He added that he made the decision to return two weeks ago during the world championships in the Czech resort of Liberec, where the Finnish ski-jumpers returned empty-handed.

"I have often asked myself this winter where I would have finished," he told the Finnish MTV3 television station. (dpa)