Michelle Kwan’s brilliance and achievements on the ice have earned her a place among the greatest athletes of all time. For over a decade, Michelle dominated the sport like no other skater in history. She won 43 championships, including five World Championships, eight consecutive U.S. Championships (nine total), and two Olympic medals. Michelle was elected to the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame (Class of 2012) and was the sole inductee into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame for the Class of 2012. In the nearly 100-year history of U.S. figure skating, no American man or woman has won more World titles, national titles, or Olympic medals. More at losangeleska.
Also, learn about the life story of figure skater Sasha Cohen.
Biography
Michelle Kwan was born in Torrance, California, on July 7, 1980. She loved watching her brother play hockey, and her older sister, Karen, was also a figure skater. Inspired by her siblings, Michelle began skating at the age of five. Once on the ice, her talent was obvious. At age 6, she entered her first skating competition and won.
In 1991, her parents moved the family to Lake Arrowhead, California, so she could work with coach Frank Carroll. When she was 12, Michelle passed the test to qualify as a senior-level figure skater—against her coach’s wishes. With this qualification, she began entering high-level competitions. Her first major championship was the World Junior title, which she won in 1994. Later that year, she placed second at the U.S. Championships, eighth at the World Championships, and qualified for the 1994 Olympic Games as an alternate.
Every figure skater performs two programs: a technical or “short” program, and a freeskate or “long” program, which counts for a larger portion of the score. Skaters must execute specific moves in each program: spirals, spins, and jumps. If a skater misses some of these or makes a mistake, the judges deduct points. Skaters must be strong in body and mind, as there is at least one major competition every month. Practice requires immense hard work, and skaters spend a lot of time in the gym, on the ice, and traveling. Amid this frantic schedule, Kwan tried to remember that skating wasn’t the only important part of her life. School was very important, as were family and friends. The real challenge was to remember herself as both a skater and the person she wanted to be.
Her career continued to blossom. She won the U.S. and World Championships in 1996. Then, she met a new competitor: Tara Lipinski. The younger skater bested Michelle in 1997. Undeterred, Kwan worked diligently and returned to competition to reclaim her titles in 1998. Her dream was a gold medal at the Olympic Games. However, it wasn’t to be. Once again, Tara outperformed her and won the gold. Michelle had to settle for silver.
The Olympic Games
Over the next four years, Michelle set her sights on the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. During this time, she won the U.S. Championship in 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2002. She also won the World Championship in 2000 and 2001. It seemed like Michelle’s time to win Olympic gold had finally come. She was heavily favored to win. But it didn’t happen. Once again, a younger skater, Sarah Hughes, surpassed her. This time, Michelle took home the bronze medal.
For years, rumors swirled that Michelle would turn professional. In 2003, Michelle crushed those rumors by winning both the World and U.S. Championships. Later that year, she hired Rafael Arutyunyan as her coach. With his help, she worked to increase the technical difficulty of her performances. This helped her capture the U.S. Championship again in 2004 and 2005, an incredible achievement that marked eight consecutive U.S. titles. She was renowned for her grace. On the ice, her smile radiated to the audience. Even after a fall, Michelle would get up and continue, smiling through the rest of her program.
Awards and Honors
Michelle has earned numerous awards and honors. Among them: the U.S. Olympic Committee named her Sportswoman of the Year, she won the 2001 Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in America, and she was named Sportswoman of the Year in 1998 by the Women’s Sports Foundation. She won the Kid’s Choice Award in 2002 and 2003 and the 2002 Teen Choice Award for America’s Favorite Female Athlete. In 2000, Michelle was chosen as one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People in the World.” In 2003, Michelle earned her seventh “Skater of the Year” award. In May 2010, Michelle received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Southern Vermont College.
Michelle’s philosophy, on the ice and in life:
“Work hard, be yourself, and have fun.”
Life Off the Ice
During her skating career, Michelle Kwan also witnessed geopolitical theater. In April 2006, she was invited to a White House luncheon where she met U.S. President George W. Bush and Chinese President Hu Jintao. The event was part of the Chinese president’s official visit to Washington to discuss energy, trade, and human rights. Around this time, Kwan was planning to retire from the sport. Hip and groin injuries prevented her from training properly, leading to a long break and thoughts about what was next. In the fall of 2006, she transferred to the University of Denver, majoring in International Studies.
Michelle’s activities off the ice were equally noteworthy. In November 2006, the U.S. Secretary of State appointed Michelle as America’s first Public Diplomacy Envoy. In this role, she traveled the world and met with young people to talk about leadership and engage them in dialogue on social and educational issues. In June 2010, President Obama appointed Michelle to the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports & Nutrition, a group that advises the president on ways to engage, empower, and educate all Americans to lead active, healthy lifestyles.
In December 2010, Michelle was elected to the Board of Directors of Special Olympics International, the organization’s governing body responsible for global affairs and strategies. Michelle graduated from the University of Denver in November 2008 with a degree in International Studies. In May 2011, she earned a master’s degree in International Relations from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University.
Her athletic career later aided her in diplomacy. In addition to traveling the world and engaging in multicultural interactions, sports gave Kwan resilience in the face of setbacks. This became a particularly valuable trait in international relations, where the best-laid plans often go awry.
Michelle’s artistry and grace on the ice are unparalleled. Over her career, she earned 57 perfect 6.0 scores, the most for any figure skater in history. No performance was better than her two at the U.S. National Championships where Michelle earned a record 15 perfect 6.0s out of a possible 18. To this day, she is called the gold standard for future generations of figure skaters.
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