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Michelle Kwan
- Qualified for the 2006 U.S. Olympic Team, but withdrew from competition due to an injury
- 2002 Olympic bronze medalist, 1998 Olympic silver medalist
- Five-time World champion (1996, 1998, 2000-2001, 2003), tied with Dick Button and Carol Heiss for most World titles by an American
- A record nine-time U.S. National champion (1996, 1998-2005)
- Has earned nine medals, the most by any American skater, at World Championships, including five gold, three silver and one bronze
- Received 42 perfect 6.0 marks in major competitions, the most of any singles skater
- Seven-time Skate America champion (1995-1997, 1999, 2000-2002)
- 2003 USOC Sportswoman of the Year; voted USOC Sportswoman of the Month 13 times
- Won the 2001 Sullivan Award, 1998 Women’s Sports Foundation Sportswoman of the Year and was named one of “50 Most Beautiful People in the World” by People magazine in 2000
- Published her autobiography “Michelle Kwan: Heart of a Champion” on October 1997 and is now in its sixth printing
- National spokesperson for Children's Miracle Network 'Champions Across America' program
- Older sister, Karen, finished fifth at 1996 U.S. Nationals
- Began skating at age 5 after watching older brother play hockey
- Has her own video game, Michelle Kwan Figure Skating - the first interactive figure skating video game for the personal computer
- You'll never see Kwan without her trusty Chinese good luck charm which was given to her by her grandmother. She wears the necklace everywhere she goes and through everything she does.
“Taking myself off the team is the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make,” Michelle Kwan said of her 2006 Olympic withdrawal, “but it’s the right decision. This injury prevents me from skating my best, and I’ve said all along that if I couldn’t skate to the level that I expected from myself I’d withdraw from the team. The Olympics is the greatest sporting event in the world and what's most important is that the United States fields the strongest team possible. As much as I'd love to represent the United States in Torino, I would never stand in the way of that.”
Related Links
U.S. Olympic Fan Club: Support the next Michelle Kwan ... Get a skating pin!
Olympic Podcasts ... Listen to Michelle Kwan and many more!
Feature: USOC honors January 2005 athletes
Related Article: 10 reasons to watch these Olympics
Related Article: An A-to-Z look at the Winter Olympics
Video: 2002 Video: On Artistry
Audio: On competing in her third Olympic Games
Q&A: Kwan gets psyched up
Photo Gallery: World Figure Skating Championships
Photo Gallery: Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan, Gallery #1
Photo Gallery: Olympic figure skater Michelle Kwan, Gallery #2
Ask an Olympian: Any advice for a beginning adult skater?
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Kwan on competing at the 2006 Olympics: "I'm not 16 anymore," she said. "My body's changing and my brain is changing. When the Olympics come around, or the end of the season, I want to know whether I've done the best I can. It's that much harder physically and easier mentally, which is the opposite of what it used to be. In a way, it's actually better to be older and wiser…"
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Height: 5' 2
Born: 7-July-1980
Hometown: Torrance, Calif.
Resides: Manhattan Beach, Calif.
Sport: Figure Skating
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