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OSLO, Norway -- Norway's four-time Olympic champion Kjetil Andre Aamodt announced his retirement on Saturday. Aamodt, the most successful men's skier in Olympic history, underwent surgery on his chronically damaged knee over the European summer and had planned a World Cup return this month. "I feel ready, both mentally and physically, and that is why I've decided to quit," Aamodt told the Norwegian online daily Nettavisen. "I think it's time to quit now. I'm 35 and have a family." He became a father last January before winning super-G gold at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin. Aamodt won 20 Olympic and world championship medals, including four Olympic golds, the most of any male skier. The former overall World Cup champion also amassed 62 World Cup podium finishes. "He has been thinking about it for the last half year," Norwegian men's head coach Marius Arnesen told Reuters. "He is such a professional that perhaps he could still have come back but with so many things going on in his life and with the injury, he didn't think his motivation was so big. " Now he is healthy, he couldn't imagine getting injured one more time." Aamodt fought back from injury and adversity throughout his career. In 1991, as a 20-year-old, he was in hospital with mononucleosis, a virus, and had to be drip-fed. He won his first gold medal six weeks later. Aamodt also had 19 Olympic and world championship medals stolen but made sure he kept his 20th from Turin safe. . Aamodt was the most successful men's skier in Olympic history. FACT BOXFactbox on Kjetil Andre AamodtAge: 35 (born Sept. 2, 1971 in Oslo) Olympic record: 2006 super-G champion 2002 super-G and combined champion 1994 downhill and combined silver medallist, super-G bronze medallist 1992 super-G champion, giant slalom bronze medallist World Cup: Race wins: 21 (downhill 1, super-G 5, combined 8, giant slalom 6, slalom 1) 1994 overall World Cup winner 1993 giant slalom and super-G cup winner 2000 slalom cup winner Was on the podium 62 times in career. World championships: 2003 downhill silver medallist and combined bronze medallist 2001 combined champion and giant slalom silver medallist 1999 combined champion and downhill bronze medallist 1997 combined champion 1996 super-G bronze medallist 1993 slalom and giant slalom champion, combined silver medallist 1991 super-G silver medallist Other information: Had 19 medals from Olympics and world championships stolen in 2003. Ski officials arranged to get duplicates for him. Returned last season from a broken ankle that had threatened to end his career. Had surgery on chronically damaged knee in 2006 European summer. Became a father in January 2006. |