TOKYO - Japanese figure skating world champion Mao Asada said Monday she will sit out competitive events next season but will take part in potentially lucrative commercial ice shows in the coming months. But Asada, the runner-up to South Korean star Kim Yu-Na at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, kept fans and skating officials guessing about her retirement, saying there was a “50-50 chance” of her going back to competition later. “I would like to stay away from all competitions this coming season,” Asada told reporters. Asked if she would return to the ice after a rest, she demurred. “I worked very hard after Vancouver until (the) Sochi (Olympics in February) and I now feel that I did everything I can. I am wondering if I will be able to keep working hard,” she said.–AFP