Japan’s three-time world champion Mao Asada will be the centre of attention when she makes her long-awaited comeback to Grand Prix figure skating at this week’s Cup of China in Beijing.
The 25-year-old known for her spectacular triple axels will skate her first Grand Prix event in two years after taking a sabbatical following her gold at the 2014 world championships.
Japan’s golden girl will look to add to her 14 Grand Prix titles as she takes her first steps towards a likely assault on the 2018 Winter Olympics, after settling for silver in 2010 and coming a disappointing sixth in 2014.
It’s a return in more ways than one for Asada, whose first ever Grand Prix event was also the Cup of China in Beijing way back in 2005, when she took silver.
“My condition isn’t bad. I did everything I could,” Asada said as she arrived in Beijing, according to Japanese media.
“I’m really surprised it’s been 10 years” since the debut, she added. “My situation is totally different and I feel I’ve experienced many things.”
It should be a gentle resumption for Asada with her chief competition likely to be Russia’s Elena Radionova, who won bronze at this year’s world championships and silver at the European titles.
Reigning world champion Javier Hernandez headlines the men’s competition as he also returns to China after winning the world titles in Shanghai in March.
The Spaniard also looks like the heavy favourite with his main rival looming in the shape of Russian veteran Sergei Voronov, the European bronze medallist.
In the pairs, world silver-medallists Sui Wenjing and Han Cong will face off against Russia’s European champions Yuko Kavaguti and Alexander Smirnov.
The Cup of China on Friday and Saturday is the third of six stops on the Grand Prix circuit, ahead of the final in Barcelona in December.