Figure skater Alysa Liu feared she might "humiliate" herself on her comeback last year, but now she is womens world champion and said Wednesday she can get even better before next years Winter Olympics.
American Liu was just 16 when she retired from the sport in 2022 after winning world championship bronze and competing at the Beijing Olympics, saying she had achieved all her goals.
She ended her exile last year and crowned her comeback with a dazzling win at the world championships in Boston a little less than three weeks ago.
Now 19 years old, Liu said the victory was "very unexpected" but added her best was yet to come as she looked ahead to the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games next February.
"I think pretty highly of myself so its not like Im insecure," she said Wednesday in Tokyo, where she is preparing to compete for the United States in the season-ending World Team Trophy this week.
"I just feel that I can improve so much more. I think I havent created my best work yet."
She only returned to competition in October and said her achievements had far exceeded her expectations.
"I didn think I was going to do well in competition, I needed to get used to it again," she said.
"I was like, Ill humiliate myself this season, its fine. Ill get used to the feeling of competition again and then next season Ill come back strong.
"But it turns out I came back kind of strong this season."
Liu said becoming world champion had not changed her approach with the Winter Olympics on the horizon.
"If I dont even get sent to the Olympics, that will be fine too -- Ill probably go there anyway and watch," she said.
"None of the titles matter as long as I have two good programmes that Im proud of, that I want people to watch."
Liu is one of several world champions in a star-studded United States team in Tokyo this week.
Ilia Malinin, who won his second mens title in Boston, and ice dance champions Madison Chock and Evan Bates are also competing for the Americans.
Japan, Georgia, France, Canada and Italy are the other nations competing.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) today confirmed the itinerary for Indias upcoming white-ball tour of Bangladesh in August.
The tour will feature three One Day Internationals and an equal number of Twenty20 Internationals.
The Indian team is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on August 13. The ODI series will commence at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium (SBNCS), Mirpur, which will host the first two matches on August 17 and 20 before the third ODI shifts to Chattogram.
Chattograms Bir Shrestha Shaheed Flight Lieutenant Motiur Rahman Cricket Stadium (BSSFLMRCS) will host the third and final ODI on August 23.
The T20I series will get underway on August 26 at the BSSFLMRCS, Chattogram. The second T20I will be held on August 29, followed by the third and final match on August 31, both at SBNCS, Mirpur.
This marks the first-ever bilateral T20I series between Bangladesh and India hosted on Bangladeshi soil.
India will depart Bangladesh on September 1.
"This series promises to be one of the most exciting and anticipated events in our home calendar," BCB Chief Executive Officer Nizam Uddin Chowdhury said.
"India have set the benchmark in international cricket across all formats and the cricket-loving millions in both countries are sure to enjoy this contest."
"Bangladesh and India have played some very competitive matches in recent years, and I am confident that this will be another hard-fought and entertaining series," he concluded.
Bangladesh won the last two ODI series between the two sides at home in 2015 and 2022. On both occasions, they won the series by a 2-1 margin.
South Africa Emerging Womens Team is set to visit Bangladesh next month to play a series comprising three One Day Internationals and an equal number of Twenty20 matches.
The One Day series takes place in Chattogram, while Coxs Bazar will host the T20 series.
The South African team will land in Dhaka on May 2, after which they will fly to Chattogram for the One Day series.
Chattograms Bir Shrestha Shaheed Flight Lieutenant Motiur Rahman Cricket Stadium (BSSFLMRCS) will host the three One Day matches on May 6, 8 and 11.
The two teams will then travel to Coxs Bazar, where they will play three T20 matches on May 14, 16, and 18. All the matches will be held at the Coxs Bazar Cricket Academy.
The South African team will depart on May 19.
Bangladesh Womens team captain Nigar Sultana Joty and top order batter Sharmin Akter Supta have attained career-best positions in the ICC ODI batting rankings.
The reward came following their fine performances in the first two matches of the ICC Womens Cricket World Cup Qualifier being played in Lahore.
Joty and Sharmin, who had partnered in a 152-run third wicket stand, got their team off to an impressive start with a 178-run victory over Thailand. The margin of the victory marked Bangladeshs largest ever in their history.
In the second match, Bangladesh beat Ireland by two wickets in a thrilling contest, where the duo also made significant contributions.
Jotys Player of the Match effort of 101 in match against Thailand and a knock of 51 against Ireland, have lifted her 16 places to 17th position while Sharmins scores of 94 not out against Thailand and 24 versus Ireland see her gain 11 slots and reach 29th position.
Bangladeshs Rabeya Khan (up seven places to 23rd) and Fahima Khatun (up three places to 48th) have also made notable progress.