The Cuban judoka Yordanis Arencibia, winner of two Olympic medals and four World Cups, canceled here on Thursday his retirement and announced his return to the tatami.
He said he will focus on his training now for the next Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico and the Olympic Games of London in 2012.
"After announcing my retirement (2010), I sat down and told myself I think that I can still compete. I want to got to London in the 66kg (category)," said 31-year-old Arencibia.
Arencibia won bronze in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008 Olympics.
He also finished world runner-up in Rio de Janeiro 2007 and bronze in Birminham 1999, Munich 2001 and Osaka 2003 World Cups.
He also won three medals at Pan American Games, including gold in Santo Domingo 2003.
Arencibia is considered one of the most excellent judokas in the world, who rose to 73kg in 2009 and achieved silver in the Grand Slam City of Paris, but at the beginning of last year he announced his retirement, alleging to be "exhausted."
"I started training and I feel good, now I must concentrate on losing weight to try to match or exceed my results," he said.