2011 world champion Miki Ando took last season off from competition. She'll be back in action this season, starting with two Grand Prix assignments. According to China Daily, Ando isn't ready for the Grand Prix just yet. But considering it's fairly far away, that's not too bad. But the reason the article says Ando isn't ready is she would rather concentrate on her artistry.
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Ando has never been known for her artistry, but it's been obvious that she's been paying more attention to it in recent years. It sounds winning her latest world championship (she won her first in 2007) had relieved her of any pressure she felt regarding competitive outcomes. But she is a great competitor, so we'll see whether she can combine the competitive fire with the artistry. I'm also interested in seeing how her artistry has indeed developed in the year she's been away from competition.