With her storied career part of figure skating history, 1989 world champion and 1992 Olympic silver medalist Midori Ito has nothing to prove, but her wish to influence others was the prime motivation behind her recent comeback.
Ito, 15 years removed from her last competition, placed second behind Canada's Jan Calnan in the masters elite women's II event at the adult world championships in Oberstdorf, Germany, last month.
Before departing, Ito met the media and provided some insight into her feelings about pulling on the boots again.