Terko Pitkämäki adds: "Grief work"

During his career, Pitkämäki took a total of seven international championship medals, including a World Cup gold and an Olympic bronze.

But now it's over. A knee injury, which, among other things, stopped him completely from competing this season, means that he has now made the decision to quit.

"When it became clear to me that I am not in the form I want to be in, and cannot achieve that form, then the glow and motivation ended," Pitkämäki explained at a press conference today, which Yle quotes.

It was an emotional 36-year-old who told us about the decision.

- This is probably a kind of grief work for me. Although I was aware that this day is coming and could prepare for this, it feels pretty empty. Fortunately, javelin throwing is just sports and there is much else in life as well, he said, explaining that he does not know what to expect now:

- That is a good question. I'm pretty open to most things that come up, there is no actual plan or timetable. It is not particularly urgent with the job search, I have three small children who require their time.