Michelle Kwan
| Michelle Kwan | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Country : Federation |  United States of America : USFSA
|
| Status | Olympic Eligible (Amateur) |
| Skating Club | Los Angeles FSC |
| Residence | Torrance, California |
| Coach | Rafael Arutunian |
| Former Coaches | Frank Carroll, Scott Williams |
| Choreographer | Tatiana Tarasova |
| Former Choreographer(s) | Lori Nichol, Nikolai Morozov, Sarah Kawahara, Peter Oppegard, Karen Kwan, Christopher Dean |
| Olympic Games | |
| 2nd Place | 1998: Nagano, Japan |
| 3rd Place | 2002: Salt Lake City, USA |
| World Championships | |
| 1st Place | 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003 |
| 2nd Place | 1997, 1999, 2002 |
| 3rd Place | 2004 |
| National Championships | |
| 1st Place | 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 |
| 2nd Place | 1994, 1995, 1997 |
| Personal Best Records | |
| Short Program + Free Skate Scores | 175.20 : 2005 Worlds |
| Short Program Score | 61.22 : 2005 Worlds |
| Free Skate Score | 113.98 : 2005 Worlds |
| Career Total 6.0s | 57 |
Michelle Wing Kwan (Traditional Chinese:關穎珊, Simplified Chinese: 关颖珊, born July 7 1980), is an American figure skater and media celebrity who has won nine U.S. championships, five world championships, and two Olympic medals. She has remained competitive for over a decade and is the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history. Known for her consistency and expressive artistry on ice, she has routinely been called one of the greatest figure skaters of all time.
Personal biography
Born in Torrance, California, Kwan is the third child of Danny and Estella Kwan, Chinese immigrants from Hong Kong. Kwan's interest in figure skating began at the age of five when she followed her two older siblings (ice hockey player Ron and figure skater Karen) onto the ice. Karen and Michelle began serious training when Michelle was about 8 years old. They practiced three to four hours a day--waking up at 3am to skate before school and going back to the rink right after school to skate again. Paying for their increased rink time led to financial hardship for Kwan's working-class family. Kwan's mother took on a second job and her father started working extra hours to finance the rink time and coaching fees.
Michelle's determination was apparent from an early age. Because the struggling family couldn't afford a Christmas tree, Michelle made it her goal to win one at school by threading the most popcorn on a string. She ended up winning a miniature Christmas tree for the family's holiday celebration. Eventually the family decided to sell their house, but that still wasn't enough to finance the skating. When Michelle was ten years old, her family could no longer afford a coach. Luckily, talent scouts noticed them at that year's regional competition and awarded them scholarships to the Ice Castle International Training Center in Lake Arrowhead, California. Michelle and Karen continued to train and compete, Michelle generally being more successful than Karen.
In 1999, Michelle enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles with the intent to major in Psychology or Political Science. Kwan recently stated that she plans to return to UCLA to finish her degree in the near future.
Competitive biography
Kwan has won five World Championships (1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2003), the most by anyone in the ladies' division since Carol Heiss (1956 - 1960), with whom she is tied for the most wins by an American. She has won nine United States Figure Skating Championships (1996, 1998-2005), tying the record for most set by Maribel Vinson-Owen (1928 - 1933, 1935 - 1937). Kwan's eight consecutive U.S. Championship titles (1998-2005) and 12 consecutive U.S. Championship medals (1994-2005) are both U.S. records. She is the only woman in figure skating history to reclaim the World title three times (1998, 2000, 2003). She has also won a silver medal in the 1998 Nagano, Japan Olympics and a bronze medal in the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Among her many accolades, in 2001 Kwan received the prestigious Sullivan Award, which is given to America's best amateur athlete; she was the first figure skater to win the award since Dick Button won it in 1949. Kwan has received a combined total of 57 6.0s (perfect scores) from her National and World competitions throughout the years. At the U.S. Nationals alone, she holds the record for most 6.0s with 42; the closest skater to her record is Brian Boitano with 9. Because figure skating is no longer scored on a 6.0 scale, Kwan's records will stand indefinitely.
Early competition
In 1991 Karen and Michelle began training with Frank Carroll, a leading figure skating coach. After one year of coaching by Carroll, 11-year old Michelle placed 9th at the Junior U.S. Nationals. At the age of 12 in 1992, Kwan passed a test to become a senior-level figure skater despite the disapproval of her coach. In 1993, Kwan finished sixth at her first senior U.S. championships, and later that year she won the 1994 World Junior title.
In 1994, Kwan finished second to Tonya Harding at the U.S. championships, which ordinarily would have earned her a spot on the U.S. team to the 1994 Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway. That place, however, was instead given to 1993 national champion Nancy Kerrigan, who had been sidelined by an assault and battery (eventually connected to Harding's ex-husband Jeff Gillooly), after a practice session at those championships. The 13-year-old Kwan went to Norway as an alternate but did not compete. Kwan later competed at the 1994 World Championships, where Kerrigan and Harding did not appear, and finished eighth.
By the end of the 1994 competitive season, Harding, Kerrigan, Oksana Baiul, and other competitors of the Lillehammer Olympics had retired from amateur competition. The 1995 U.S. Championship was open for Kwan and other up-and-comers to win. Nicole Bobek captured the gold medal, while Kwan again placed second. She advanced to the 1995 World Championships, where announcers and media called her a "jumping bean"; during her performances, she landed 7 clean triple jumps--more than any other skater--but placed 4th. Judges considered her an able athlete, but lacking in artistry.
Artistic development
Following 1995, Kwan and her team thought that she should transform herself from a "jumping bean" to a figure skating artist in order for her to emerge as an Olympic champion hopeful. This transformation manifested itself in her new competitive programs, "Romanza" (short program) and "Salome" (free skate). In 1996, Kwan won both the U.S. Championships and the World Championships. In the latter event, she edged out defending champion Lu Chen from China in a very close competition in which both competitors garnered two perfect 6.0s for Presentation in the free skate.
In the 1996–97 season, Kwan skated to "Dream of Desdemona" (short program) and "Taj Mahal" (free skate). It was during this year that Michelle Kwan debuted a change-of-edge spiral, which is still considered her signature move. However, in this season, Kwan struggled with her jumps because of a growth spurt and problems with new skating boots which she wore for an endorsement contract with the manufacturer. She fell three times in her free skate at 1997 U.S. Nationals, and refused to be interviewed on camera with Lipinski and bronze medalist Bobek. She also lost the Champion Series Final and World titles to Tara Lipinski that season. At the World championships, she won the free skate but a fall in the short program had left her too far behind to take the overall title.
Kwan regained her U.S. title from Lipinski at the 1998 championships, in spite of competing with a toe injury. Many people consider her performances of her Rachmaninoff short program and free skate set to William Alwyn's "Lyra Angelica" at the 1998 U.S. Championships to be the high point of her career from both a technical and artistic standpoint. The performance earned her eight perfect 6.0s and left one judge in tears.
Although she was the favorite to win the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan, the gold medal was awarded to Lipinski, then 15, with Kwan winning the silver medal and 1995 World Champion, Lu Chen, winning the bronze medal. This was a widely contested result among skating fans. However, Kwan then won the 1998 World Championships, in which Lipinski and Lu Chen did not compete. Lipinski's subsequent retirement from eligible skating ended an era of competition for Kwan and Lipinski. Moreover, after the 1998 Olympics, Lu Chen also decided to retire from eligible skating. Without Lipinski and Chen, others stepped up to become her rivals.
New challenges
While Lipinski and Chen turned professional shortly after the Olympics in 1998, Kwan continued to compete as an eligible skater. In the 1998-99 season, Kwan skated to "Fate of Carmen" (short program) and "Lamento D'Ariane" (free skate). At the 1999 U.S. Championships, Kwan attained her third title, landing a triple toe loop/triple toe loop combination despite an uncharacteristic fall on her second triple lutz at the end of her program. Despite her mistakes, none of the other competitors came close to Kwan's technical and artistic marks. Naomi Nari Nam and Angela Nikodinov came in second and third. At the 1999 World Championships, Kwan was battling a severe case of the flu, but decided to compete anyway. Kwan made two major errors in the short program and minor errors in the long program, placing second behind Russian competitor Maria Butyrskaya. The World Championships was her only loss during the 1998-1999 season.
Michelle Kwan's win at the 2000 U.S. Nationals was controversial to some. Despite a fall in the short program, the judges placed her in the top three in that segment, keeping her in contention for the title. Sasha Cohen, Sarah Hughes, and Kwan all made mistakes in their long program, but Kwan won the title. After the short program at the 2000 World Championships, Butyrskaya was first, Irina Slutskaya second, while Kwan was in third after a flawed "A Day in The Life" short program. Kwan's fate was not completely in her hands; in order to win the title, she would have to win the free skate and have someone else beat Butyrskaya as well. In her free skate to music from the film "The Red Violin", Kwan landed seven triples, including a triple toe loop/triple toe loop combination. This was enough for Kwan to win both the free skate and world title, as Butyrskaya finished only third behind Irina Slutskaya in the free skate portion.
In 2001, while Cohen sat injured, competitors Sarah Hughes and Angela Nikodinov challenged Kwan for the national title, but Kwan again won the U.S. Championships. Similarly, at the 2001 World Championships, Slutskaya, Butyrskaya, Hughes, and Nikodinov, all challenged Kwan for the title. In the short program, Kwan was second to Slutskaya, skating to music from the "East of Eden" TV adaptation. Kwan won the title with her "Song of the Black Swan" long program, executing 7 triples, including a triple toe loop/triple toe loop combination, to break the "odd year curse" that she had experienced at prior World Championships.
2002 Olympics
In the fall of 2001, Kwan and Carroll decided to end their coaching relationship. In interviews, Kwan said she needed to "take responsibility" for her skating. Prior to the split, Kwan had had a tumultous season, just narrowly winning Skate America. Coachless, Kwan arrived at the 2002 U.S. Championships in Los Angeles amid the media's scrutiny over her separation with Carroll and her season's inconsistencies. Kwan won the competition with a revived "Rachmaninoff" short program and a new "Scheherazade" program for her free skate, securing her a place on the 2002 Olympic team. Joining her on the team were Sasha Cohen (second) and Sarah Hughes (third). The 21-year-old Kwan, along with Russia's Irina Slutskaya, were favorites to win the gold. Kwan led after the short program, followed by Slutskaya, Cohen, and Hughes. In the free skate, a combination of a flawed performance by Kwan (two-footing her combination and falling on her triple flip) and the near-perfect performance of another skater, 16-year-old Sarah Hughes, saw Kwan receive the bronze medal. During the exhibition gala, Kwan skated a tearful, bittersweet performance to Eva Cassidy's version of "Fields of Gold." Kwan finished the 2002 season with a second place finish at the World Championships.
Continued competition
While the question of Kwan's retirement to the professional level continued to linger, she continued to compete on the Olympic-eligible circuit. She added three more U.S. championships (2003-2005, bringing her consecutive streak to an all-time record eight and total to a shared record of nine) and a fifth World championship (2003) to her list of victories.
Coached by Scott Williams, Kwan won all phases of every competition she entered in the 2002-2003 competitive season with her programs: the exotic "The Feeling Begins" (short program) and "Concierto de Aranjuez" (free skate). She won the U.S. Championships again and regained her World title.
In 2003, she hired noted technician Rafael Arutunian as her coach, with whom she had attempted to increase the technical difficulty of her programs. Around this time Kwan was receiving criticism from skating experts who believed her programs were not at the same technical level as her competitors. While her rivals included the more difficult triple salchow-triple loop and triple loop-triple loop jump combinations, Kwan was wary of even attempting these jumps. However, she did occasionally attempt a triple toe-triple toe in competition. In the 2003-2004 competitive season, she skated again to "The Feeling Begins" for her short program, and "Tosca" for her long program. Again, Kwan won the U.S. Championships. At the 2004 World Championships, after a difficult qualifying round, Kwan was penalized in her short program for going two seconds over time. Then, just as she was about to start her free skate, there was a disruption caused by a spectator entering the ice surface, who had to be removed by security staff. In the end, Kwan placed third at the championships behind Shizuka Arakawa of Japan and Sasha Cohen.
During the fall seasons of 2002 to 2004, Michelle Kwan competed in only one Grand Prix event, Skate America, in which she took over for an absent Sarah Hughes. She won the event and qualified for the Grand Prix Final but chose not to compete in it. Kwan chose to not compete in subsequent Grand Prix events where the new judging system was being tested.
For the 2004-2005 competitive season Michelle Kwan skated a long program to the "Boléro" music made famous by ice dancers Torvill and Dean two decades before, and debuted a new short program, "Adagio" from Aram Khachaturian's ballet Spartacus. At the U.S. Championships, she won her 9th title, tying the all-time record previously set by Maribel Vinson-Owen. Interestingly, Vinson-Owen had coached Frank Carroll, who in turn coached Kwan. At the 2005 World Championship, Kwan saw herself seemingly unprepared in the new Code of Points (CoP) judging system which had been adopted by the International Skating Union. Michelle did not skate her best, falling on her triple salchow and two-footed a triple lutz. She finished fourth by 0.37 point. For the first time since 1995, Kwan finished off the podium at the World Championships. Later, Kwan commented that her lack of experience with the new Code of Points had affected her performance. She ended the 2004-2005 season by winning the Marshall's Spring Challenge.
Withdrawal from the 2006 Olympics
Kwan looked at the 2005 world competition as a learning experience in the new judging system. She continued to train and stated that she would attempt to qualify for the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. Unfortunately, following a hip injury, she was forced to withdraw from three competitions during the 2005-2006 season: Campbell's Classic, Skate America and Cup of China. Kwan returned to competition at the Marshalls Winter Challenge with the debut of her new short program (Totentanz), and went on to win with technically downgraded performances in a fan-voting format over Sasha Cohen, Alissa Czisny, and Emily Hughes, who had all competed during the 2005-2006 season. On January 4, 2006, Kwan withdrew from the U.S. Figure Skating Championships with an abdominal injury incurred in December 2005. One week later, she filed a petition with United States Figure Skating for a medical waiver to be placed on the 2006 Olympic figure skating team. On January 14, 2006, on the same night after the United States ladies' figure skating event, the United States Figure Skating International Committee met and in a 20 to 3 vote approved Kwan's petition to be placed on the Olympics team under the stipulation that she show her physical and competitive readiness to a five-member monitoring panel by January 27, 2006.
Kwan performed her long and short programs for the panel on the stipulated day, and her spot on the Olympic team was established, as the panel felt she was fit to compete. However, on February 12, 2006, the United States Olympic Committee announced that Kwan had withdrawn from the Games after suffering a new groin injury in her first practice in Turin. Kwan tearfully remarked that she "respected the Olympics too much to compete." The Turin organising committee accepted the USOC's application for Emily Hughes (who had finished third at the U.S. Championships) to compete as Kwan's replacement. Shizuka Arakawa, not a favorite going into the Turin games, went on to win the Ladies' event.
Kwan's future
After her withdrawal from the Olympic team, Kwan turned down an offer to stay in Turin as a figure skating commentator for NBC Sports.[1] On February 16, 2006, The Walt Disney Company announced that Kwan will "serve as a celebrity representative and spokesperson for businesses across the entire range of The Walt Disney Company".[2] This includes participating in advertising, promotions, public service announcements, making guest appearances on Disney shows, and making personal appearances at live Disney events.
During an interview with Bob Costas and Scott Hamilton, Michelle Kwan said she was not retiring yet. Speculation abounds as to whether Kwan will stay on the figure skating scene until the 2010 Olympics. If she continues to the 2010 games, she will be 29 years old. [3]
Kwan performed at the Marshalls US Figure Skating International Showcase in April 2006 and is currently touring with Champions on Ice.
Competitive and career highlights
Kwan's competitive history spans over a decade, as she has been competing at the national level since she was 12 years old. This section shows her record in the U.S., World and Olympic Championships, along with the other top skaters she has competed against. The table below shows basic information of Michelle Kwan's competition records.
| Competitive Information | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Records | World Championships | US Nationals | CoP Personal Best Total Score | 6.0 Records | Significant Accolades |
| 1998 Silver Medalist and 2002 Bronze Medalist | 5 World Titles | 9 National Titles | 175.20 (SP+FS scores) | 57 6.0s | Sullivan Awards Winner |
Olympic eligible competitions
Olympic eligible competitions include the U.S. National Championships, World Championships, Olympic Games, the Grand Prix Series, and Four Continents Championships. Each season contains all the olympic eligible competitions she entered as well as those from which she withdrew.
Kwan competed lightly during this season due to hip and groin injuries. She competed in only one ISU sanctioned invitational competition, which she won.
| Programs | Music | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short Program | Totentanz | Choreographed by Tatiana Tarasova |
| Free Skate | Rachmaninoff (Prelude in C Minor) | Choreographed by Tatiana Tarasova |
| Exhibitions | A Song for You | Choreographed by Sarah Kawahara |
| U.S. Nationals | World Championships | Olympics | Grand Prix Series: Skate America | Grand Prix Series: Cup of China |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1-G. Sasha Cohen 2-S. Kimmie Meissner 3-B. Emily Hughes Kwan withdrew due to injury |
1-G. Kimmie Meissner 2-S. Fumie Suguri 3-B. Sasha Cohen Kwan not entered |
1-G. Shizuka Arakawa 2-S. Sasha Cohen 3-B. Irina Slutskaya Kwan withdrew due to injury |
Kwan withdrew from Skate America | Kwan withdrew from Cup of China |
| ISU Sanctioned Competitions | |
|---|---|
| Phase | 2005 Marshalls - this was a fan voted competition |
| Overall | Michelle Kwan won over Sasha Cohen |
| 1st Exhibition - Totentanz | Michelle Kwan and Sasha Cohen moves to the next round |
| 2nd Exhibition - You Raise Me Up | Michelle Kwan won this phase even though the judges favored Sasha Cohen |
The 2005 World Championship was the first time Kwan competed in the new judging system.
| Programs | Music | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short Program | Spartacus | Choreographed by Nikolai Morosov; Earned 3 6.0s at Nationals |
| Free Skate | Bolero | Choreographed by Christopher Dean; Earned 4 6.0s at Nationals |
| Exhibition | This Used To Be My Playground | Choreographed by Michelle Kwan |
| Phase | U.S. Nationals | World Championships | Grand Prix Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Sasha Cohen |
1-G. Irina Slutskaya 2-S. Sasha Cohen |
Kwan withdrew from both Skate America and Skate Canada |
| Qualifying Round | Tied for 9th | ||
| Short Program | 2nd | 3rd | |
| Long Program | 1st | 3rd |
Kwan competed lightly in this season, withdrawing from her Grand Prix Assignments.
| Programs | Music | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short Program | The Feeling Begins | Choreographed by Nikolai Morosov |
| Free Skate | Tosca | Choreographed by Nikolai Morosov; Earned 7 6.0s at Nationals, 6 6.0s at Worlds |
| Exhibition | Fallin' | Choreographed by Brian Wright |
| Phase | U.S. Nationals | World Championships | Grand Prix Series |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Sasha Cohen |
1-G. Shizuka Arakawa 2-S. Sasha Cohen
|
Kwan withdrew from both Skate America and Skate Canada |
| Qualifying Round | Tied for 6th | ||
| Short Program | 3rd | ||
| Long Program | 1st | 3rd |
In this season, Kwan won every competition she entered, as well as all the phases of each competition.
| Programs | Music | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short Program | The Feeling Begins | Choreographed by Nikolai Morosov; Earned 1 6.0 at Worlds |
| Free Skate | Concierto de Aranjuez | Choreographed by Karen Kwan, Michelle Kwan, Peter Oppegard, Nikolai Morosov; Earned 1 6.0 at Nationals, 2 6.0s at Worlds |
| Exhibition | Fields of Gold | Choreographed by Sandra Kawahara |
| Phase | US Nationals | World Championship | Grand Prix Series: Skate America | Grand Prix Series: Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Sarah Hughes 3-B. Sasha Cohen |
1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Elena Sokolova 3-B. Fumie Suguri |
1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Ann Patrice McDonough 3-B. Elena Liashenko Kwan was a last minute replacement for Sarah Hughes |
Kwan qualified with her win from Skate America but withdrew from the Grand Prix Series Final |
| Qualifying Round | 1st | |||
| Short Program | 1st | 1st | 1st | |
| Long Program | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| Programs | Music | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short Program | Rachmaninoff | Choreographed by Lori Nichol |
| Free Skate | Scheherazade | Choreographed by Sarah Kawahara; Earned 2 6.0s at Nationals |
| Exhibition | Fields of Gold | Choreographed by Sarah Kawahara |
| Phase | US Nationals | World Championships | Olympic Championship | Grand Prix Series: Skate America | Grand Prix Series: Skate Canada | Grand Prix Series: Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Sasha Cohen 3-B. Sarah Hughes |
1-G. Irina Slutskaya 2-S. Michelle Kwan 3-B. Fumie Suguri |
1-G. Sarah Hughes 2-S. Irina Slutskaya 3-B. Michelle Kwan |
1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Sarah Hughes 3-B. Viktoria Volchkova |
1-G. Sarah Hughes 2-S. Irina Slutskaya 3-B. Michelle Kwan |
1-G. Irina Slutskaya 2-S. Michelle Kwan 3-B. Sarah Hughes |
| Qualifying Round | 1st | 3rd | ||||
| Short Program | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 2nd |
| Free Skate | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 3rd | 2nd |
| Programs | Music | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short Program (I) | East of Eden | Choreographed by Lori Nichol; Earned 7 6.0s at Nationals |
| Short Program (II) | Rush | Choreographed by Christopher Dean |
| Free Skate (I) | Song of the Black Swan | Choreographed by Lori Nichol; Earned 2 6.0s at Nationals |
| Free Skate (II) | Miraculous Mandarin | Choreographed by Peter Oppegard |
| Exhibition (I) | Beautiful World | Choreographed by Lori Nichol |
| Exhibition (II) | This Time Around |
| Phase | US Nationals | Worlds Championships | Grand Prix Series: Skate America | Grand Prix Series: Skate Canada | Grand Prix Series: Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Sarah Hughes 3-B. Angela Nikodinov |
1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Irina Slutskaya 3-B. Sarah Hughes |
1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Sarah Hughes 3-B. Elena Sokolova |
1-G. Irina Slutskaya 2-S. Michelle Kwan 3-B. Fumie Suguri |
1-G. Irina Slutskaya 2-S. Michelle Kwan 3-B. Sarah Hughes |
| Qualifying | 1st | ||||
| Short Program | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 2nd |
| Free Skate | 1st | 1st | 1st | 2nd | 2nd |
| Programs | Music | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short Program | A Day In The Life | Choreographed by Lori Nichol |
| Free Skate | The Red Violin | Choreographed by Lori Nichol |
| Exhibition | The World Is Not Enough | Choreographed by Lori Nichol |
| Exhibition (II) | Hands | Choreographed by Philip Mills |
| Phase | US Nationals | Worlds Championships | Grand Prix Series: Skate America | Grand Prix Series: Skate Canada | Grand Prix Series: Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Sasha Cohen 3-B. Sarah Hughes |
1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Irina Slutskaya 3-B. Maria Butyrskaya |
1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Julia Soldatova 3-B. Elena Sokolova |
1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Julia Soldatova 3-B. Jennifer Robinson |
1-G. Irina Slutskaya 2-S. Michelle Kwan 3-B. Maria Butyrskaya |
| Qualifying | 2nd | ||||
| Short Program | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | 1st | |
| Free Skate | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| Programs | Music | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short Program | The Fate of Carmen | Choreographed by Lori Nichol |
| Free Skate | Lemento D'Arianne | Choreographed by Lori Nichol |
| Exhibition | Kissing You | Choreographed by Philip Mills |
| Phase | US Nationals | Worlds Championships | Grand Prix Series: Skate America | Grand Prix Series: Skate Canada | Grand Prix Series: Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Naomi Nari Nam 3-B. Angela Nikodinov |
1-G. Maria Butyrskaya 2-S. Michelle Kwan 3-B. Julia Soldatova |
|||
| Qualifying | |||||
| Short Program | 1st | 2nd | |||
| Free Skate | 1st | 2nd |
| Programs | Music | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short Program | Rachmaninoff | Choreographed by Lori Nichol; Earned 7 6.0s at Nationals |
| Free Skate | Lyra Angelica | Choreographed by Lori Nichol; Earned 8 6.0s at Nationals (out of 9 possible) |
| Exhibition | On My Own |
| Phase | US Nationals | Worlds Championships | Olympic Games | Grand Prix Series: Skate America | Grand Prix Series: Skate Canada | Grand Prix Series: Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Tara Lipinski 3-B. Nicole Bobek |
1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Irina Slutskaya 3-B. Maria Butyrskaya |
1-G. Tara Lipinski 2-S. Michelle Kwan 3-B. Lu Chen |
1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Tara Lipinski 3-B. Elena Sokolova |
1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Maria Butyrskaya 3-B. Surya Bonaly |
|
| Qualifying | ||||||
| Short Program | 1st | 1st | 1st | |||
| Free Skate | 1st | 1st | 2nd |
| Programs | Music | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short Program | Dream of Desdemona | Choreographed by Lori Nichol |
| Free Skate | Taj Mahal | |
| Exhibition | Winter | Choreographed by Michelle Kwan |
| Phase | US Nationals | Worlds Championships | Grand Prix Series: Skate America | Grand Prix Series: Skate Canada | Champions Series: Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1-G. Tara Lipinski 2-S. Michelle Kwan 3-B. Nicole Bobek |
1-G. Tara Lipinski 2-S. Michelle Kwan 3-B. Vanessa Gusmeroli |
1-G. Michelle Kwan | 1-G. Tara Lipinski 2-S. Michelle Kwan 3-B. Irina Slutskaya | |
| Qualifying | |||||
| Short Program | 1st | 4th | 3rd | ||
| Free Skate | 2nd | 1st | 2nd |
| Programs | Music | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short Program | Romanza | |
| Free Skate | Salome | Choreographed by Lori Nichol; Earned 2 6.0s at Worlds |
| Exhibition | East of Eden | Choreographed by Lori Nichol |
| Phase | US Nationals | Worlds Championships | Champions Series: Skate America | Champion Series: Skate Canada | Champion Series: Finals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Tonia Kwiatkowski 3-B. Tara Lipinski |
1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Lu Chen 3-B. Irina Slutskaya |
1-G. Michelle Kwan | 1-G. Michelle Kwan | 1-G. Michelle Kwan |
| Qualifying | |||||
| Short Program | 1st | 1st | 3rd | 4th | |
| Free Skate | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| Programs | Music | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short Program | Yellow River | |
| Free Skate | Rondo Capriccioso | |
| Exhibition | Greensleeves |
| Phase | US Nationals | Worlds Championships | Skate America | Skate Canada |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1-G. Nicole Bobek 2-S. Michelle Kwan 3-B. Tonia Kwiatkowski |
1-G. Lu Chen 2-S. Surya Bonaly 3-B. Nicole Bobek 4. Michelle Kwan |
2-S. Michelle Kwan | |
| Qualifying | ||||
| Short Program | ||||
| Free Skate |
| Programs | Music | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Short Program | Song of India | |
| Free Skate | East of Eden | |
| Exhibition |
| Phase | US Nationals | Worlds Championships | Junior Worlds Championships | Olympic Games |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 1-G. Tonya Harding / later vacant 2-S. Michelle Kwan 3-B. Nicole Bobek |
1-G. Yuka Sato 2-S. Surya Bonaly 3-B. Tanya Szewczenko 8. Michelle Kwan |
1-G. Michelle Kwan 2-S. Kristina Czako 3-B. Irina Slutskaya |
1-G. Oksana Baiul 2-S. Nancy Kerrigan 3-B. Lu Chen * Michelle Kwan served as an alternate to Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan |
| Qualifying | ||||
| Short Program | ||||
| Free Skate |
| Phase | US Nationals |
|---|---|
| Overall | 1-G. Nancy Kerrigan 2-S. Lisa Ervin 3-B. Tonia Kwiatkowski 6. Michelle Kwan |
| Short Program | |
| Free Skate |
| Phase | US Junior Nationals |
|---|---|
| Overall | Junior Level 9. Michelle Kwan |
| Short Program | |
| Free Skate |
Other notable championships
Other notable championships include competitions that were sanctioned by the ISU but not considered one of the "canon" championships. These competitions are generally considered "fluff" or "cheesefests." In past seasons, they included competitions with professional figure skaters, but in recent seasons have only included olympic eligible figure skaters. These include competitions such as Marshalls and Campbells International Challenge, Ultimate Four, Hersheys Kisses Challenge, etc.
| Other Notable Singles Competitions | |||||
| Year | Event | Finish | Year | Event | Finish |
| 1993 | U.S. Olympic Festival | 1st | 1998 | Masters of Figure Skating | 1st |
| 1993 | Gardena Spring Trophy | 1st | 1998 | U.S. Pro Classic | 1st |
| 1994 | Thrifty Car Rental International Challenge | 3rd | 1998 | Grand Slam of Figure Skating | 1st |
| 1994 | Trophy de France | 3rd | 1999 | Masters of Figure Skating | 1st |
| 1994 | U.S. Outdoor Challenge | 1st | 1999 | Japan Open | 1st |
| 1994 | Goodwill Games | 2nd | 2000 | Canadian Open | 2nd |
| 1994 | Hershey's Kisses Pro-Am Championships | 2nd | 2000 | Masters of Figure Skating | 1st |
| 1995 | Nations Cup | 1st | 2000 | Japan Open | 1st |
| 1995 | Best of the Best | 2nd | 2001 | Smart Ones Skate America | 1st |
| 1995 | Hershey's Kisses Challenge | 1st | 2001 | Masters of Figure Skating | 2nd |
| 1996 | Ultimate Four | 1st | 2001 | Goodwill Games | 2nd |
| 1996 | Trophée Lalique | 1st | 2002 | Campbell's Classic | 1st |
| 1996 | The Continents Cup | 1st | 2003 | International Figue Skating Challenge | 1st |
| 1996 | Centennial on Ice | 3rd | 2003 | Campbell's Classic | 2nd |
| 1996 | Champions Series Final | 1st | 2003 | ABC Sports International Challenge | 1st |
| 1997 | Champions Series Final | 2nd | 2004 | Marshalls World Cup | 2nd |
| 1997 | Japan Open | 1st | 2004 | Marshalls World Figure Skating Challenge | 3rd |
| 1998 | Goodwill Games | 1st | 2004 | Campbell's Classic | 1st |
| 1998 | Ultimate Four | 1st | 2004 | Marshalls U.S. Figure Skating Challenge | 1st |
| 1998 | World Professional Championships | 1st | |||
| Other Notable Team Competitions | |||||
| Year | Event | Finish | Year | Event | Finish |
| 1995 | U.S. Postal Service Challenge (team) | 1st | 1999 | Hershey's Kisses USA vs. the World (team) | 1st |
| 1995 | World Team Challenge | 4th | 1999 | Keri Lotion Figure Skating Classic (team) | 2nd |
| 1996 | Hershey's Kisses Challenge (team) | 1st | 1999 | Hershey's Kisses Challenge (team) | 2nd |
| 1996 | U.S. Postal Service Challenge (team) | 1st | 2000 | International Figure Skating Challenge (team) | 2nd |
| 1997 | Hershey's Kisses Challenge (team) | 1st | 2001 | Hershey's Kisses Challenge (team) | 1st |
| 1997 | Nice 'n Easy Classic (team) | 2nd | 2002 | Hershey's Kisses Challenge (team) | 2nd |
Awards and accolades
These includes awards such as the Sullivan Awards, Polls, etc.
- 2005 CCTV-Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Honors for "Athlete kids in China most admire"
- US Sports Academy "Athlete of the Month," January 2005
- USOC "Athlete of the Month," January 2005
- Finished 2nd in the balloting for the 2004 US Sports Academy Female Athlete of the Year
- 2004 Citizenship Through Sports Alliance Award (USOC)
- Nominee, 2004 American-International Athlete Trophy
- US Sports Academy "Athlete of the Month," January 2004
- USOC "Athlete of the Month," January 2004
- 2003 USOC Sportswoman of the Year
- 2003 USOC Female Figure Skating Athlete of the Year
- Finished 2nd in the balloting for the 2003 US Sports Academy Female Athlete of the Year
- Finished 6th in the balloting 2003 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year
- Nominee, 2003 Women's Sports Foundation individual Sportswomen of the Year
- Named IFS's Most Influential Name in Figure Skating for the 2002-03 season
- 2003 Edi Award for "Best Performance at US Nationals in the long program" from PSA
- 2003 "Readers' Choice Skater of the Year," Skating magazine
- USOC "Athlete of the Month," March 2003
- 2003 Kids' Choice Award for "Favorite Female Athlete"
- USOC "Athlete of the Month," January 2003
- 2002 Cosmogirl! of the Year
- 2002 Teen Choice Awards for "Choice Female Athlete"
- Part of the exhibit, "Passion to Skate," at the World Figure Skating Museum and Hall of Fame, which honors Michelle and Dick Button, the only figure skaters to win the Sullivan Award
- Named to IFS's 2001-2002 25 Most Influential Names in Figure Skating List
- 2002 "Readers' Choice Skater of the Year," Skating magazine
- 2002 Kids' Choice Awards for "Favorite Female Sports Star"
- Received a Gold Record for Eva Cassidy's Songbird album, in recognition for the part she has played in bringing Eva's music to the attention of the world after skating to Fields of Gold
- USOC "Athlete of the Month," January 2002
- Winner of the 72nd Annual James E. Sullivan Award (for 2001)
- 2001 USOC Female Figure Skating Athlete of the Year
- Finished 7th in the balloting for the 2001 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year
- Finished 3rd in the balloting for the 2001 US Sports Academy Female Athlete of the Year
- 2001 Smart Ones Smart Moves Award
- Nominee, 2001 Women's Sports Foundation individual Sportswomen of the Year
- 2001 Edi Award for "Best Performance at US Nationals in the Ladies Category" from PSA
- 2001 "Readers' Choice Skater of the Year," Skating magazine
- Named to IFS's 2000-2001 25 Most Influential Names in Figure Skating List
- Nominee, 2001 Kids' Choice Awards for "Favorite Female Sports Star"
- USOC "Athlete of the Month," March 2001
- 2000 USOC Female Figure Skating Athlete of the Year
- Nominee, 2000 World Sports Awards, Winter Sports Category
- Nominee, 2000 Women's Sports Foundation individual Sportswomen of the Year
- Wax figure made by Madame Tussaud's Studios
- Named to IFS's 1999-2000 25 Most Influential Names in Figure Skating List
- USOC "Athlete of the Month," April 2000
- US Sports Academy "Athlete of the Month", April 2000
- Named to People Magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People List in 2000
- 1999 USOC Female Figure Skating Athlete of the Year
- 1999 Outstanding Achievement in Sports from Museum of Chinese American History
- Named to IFS's 1998-1999 25 Most Influential Names in Figure Skating List
- 1999 "Readers' Choice Skater of the Year," Skating magazine
- 1999 Edi Award for "Best Performance at US Nationals in the Ladies Category" from PSA
- Named to A. Magazine's 1998 25 most influential Asian Americans
- Nominee, 1998 Wide World of Sports "Athlete of the Year"
- Finished 4th in the balloting for the 1998 USOC SportsWoman of the year.
- 1998 USOC Female Figure Skating Athlete of the Year
- 1998 Women's Sports Foundation individual Sportswomen of the Year
- On Life magazine's list of 100 best things about America now
- USOC "Athlete of the Month," August 1998
- 1st Place, Eligible Ladies, 1998 People's Choice Awards for Performance of the Year from Blades On Ice
- Named to IFS's 1997-1998 25 Most Influential Names in Figure Skating List
- 1998 Edi Award for "Best Performance at US Nationals in the Ladies Category" from PSA
- 1998 "Readers' Choice Skater of the Year," Skating magazine
- USOC "Athlete of the Month," April 1998
- USOC "Athlete of the Month," January 1998
- Winner of 1998 Chevrolet Perfect 6.0 Award
- Winner of 1997 Dial Award
- Finished 10th in the balloting for the 1997 Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year
- USOC "Athlete of the Month," October 1997
- 1st Place, ISU Ladies, 1997 Blades On Ice Popular Choice Awards
- Nominee, 1996 Wide World of Sports "Athlete of the Year"
- Finalist, 67th Annual James E. Sullivan Award
- Named to IFS's 1995-1996 25 Most Influential Names in Figure Skating List
- Finished 7th in the balloting for the 1996 USOC SportsWoman of the year.
- 1996 USOC Female Figure Skating Athlete of the Year
- USOC "Athlete of the Month," November 1996
- 1996 "Readers' Choice Skater of the Year," Skating magazine
- USOC "Athlete of the Month," March 1996
- USOC "Athlete of the Month," January 1996
- Sports Illustrated For Kids, Hall of Fame, 1995
- 1994 "Readers' Choice Skater of the Year," Skating magazine
Notes:
- Only multiple winner of the "Readers' Choice Figure Skater of the Year" award given by Skating magazine (she has won the award 7 times). Finished a very close second in 2000 to Michael Weiss.
- In 2003, the USFSA announced that in the future, the "Readers' Choice Figure Skater of the Year" award would be renamed the "Michelle Kwan Trophy," in honor of Michelle's numerous accomplishments over the past decade, and to recognize the strong support for Michelle by the readers of Skating magazine regarding the award. The USFSA stated that even though Michelle may continue to be an eligible skater, she will no longer be eligible for the Readers' Choice Award for Skater of the Year. "She has proven she is the fans' all-time favorite."
- Has been named the USOC athlete of the month 14 times, which is more than any other athlete, male or female
- Has appeared on International Figure Skating Magazine's "25 Most Influential Names in Figure Skating List" 7 times, and was named the most influential skater for the 2002-03 season
- Was the runner up (behind Jennifer Capriati) for the 2001 USOC Sportswoman of the Year
- Only the second figure skater in history to win the James E. Sullivan Award. Dick Button won in 1949.
- Named the 2003 USOC SportsWoman of the Year. Only the 5th figure skater in history to get this honor.
Miscellaneous trivia and factoids
- Famed wedding dress designer Vera Wang, who herself was a figure skater, has designed many of Kwan's costumes. These costumes cost a minimum of $20,000 to make.[4]
- In 1999, she appeared in the Michelle Kwan Figure Skating computer game.
- Kwan always wears a good luck necklace (a gold dragon necklace) that her grandmother gave her.
- She finished 11th grade with a 3.8 GPA and 12th grade with a 3.9 GPA, for a cumulative high school GPA of 3.6. She attends the University of California - Los Angeles, taking 5 credits in English composition.
- Her sister Karen also skated competitively at the elite level, finishing 6th at the U.S. Nationals in 1997.
- When she first lived at Ice Castle, she lived in the cabin called "Debi Thomas' Teepee."
- Made a guest appearance in episode "Homer and Ned's Hail Mary Pass" as herself in season sixteen of TV show The Simpsons.
- She has written an inspirational book for kids titled, The Winning Attitude: What it Takes to be a Champion. She also wrote an autobiography, Heart of a Champion, at 17.
- Kwan has a wax statue of herself at the Madame Tussauds Wax Museum in New York.
- Kwan and fellow figure skater Brian Boitano appeared as announcers in the film Ice Princess.
- She provided the voice of a shopkeeper in the Disney direct-to-DVD sequel Mulan II.
- She also made a guest star appearance in children's cartoon TV show Arthur.
- Her former boyfriend is hockey player Brad Ference.
- She made a guest star appearance in the Family Guy episode, "A Hero Sits Next Door".
- Kwan currently resides in Manhattan Beach, California.
- Kwan is a seven-time recipient of Skating Magazine's Readers' Choice Award for figure skater of the year, and in 2003, the trophy that is given out for the Readers' Choice Award was renamed the "Michelle Kwan Trophy."
- In May 2000, Kwan was named one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" by People Magazine.
- She is the co-owner of the East West Ice Palace in Artesia, California.
- Kwan speaks fluent Cantonese as well as some conversational Mandarin.
Scholarship
The Chevrolet/Michelle Kwan R.E.W.A.R.D.S. Scholarship program was established by the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors in cooperation with Kwan. The scholarship is awarded annually to 10 outstanding female high school graduates from across the United States who are involved in athletics. Each scholarship provides a $5,000 award payable over four years: $2,000 for the freshman year and $1,000 per year for up to three additional years, contingent upon maintaining minimum eligibility criteria each year.
Quotes
- "As a child, I'd wonder, 'When I die, will people still remember me 1,000 years later?' And without the gold medal... Well, the Olympics are the ultimate achievement in my sport. At times I think, 'Why should I push myself all those long hours in the rink?' But then I think, 'How will I ever know how good I could have been?' I want to be the Michael Jordan of my sport." - Kwan, following the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan.
- "Work hard, have fun, and be yourself." - Michelle Kwan's motto, appears on publicity cards.
- I'm not closing any doors right now," said Kwan who missed this year's Olympics with a groin injury. "Since 2002, I've kind of left everything wide open. ... I want to go back to school and finish up. But I think the first thing is to get healthy and feel good about my body and feel, oh, OK, I'm ready."
External links
- U.S. Figure Skating Athlete Biography
- International Skating Union (ISU) Skater Biography
- Official U.S. Olympic Team Biography with links to three photo galleries
- NBCOlympics.com Athlete Biography with news, results, videos, and photos
- Michelle Kwan's REWARDS scholarship program
- AAJA statements regarding headline controversy after 2002 Olympics
- Videos of Michelle Kwan's performances at youtube.com
- Video Archive of Michelle Kwan's performances at cruelladekwan.com
- 1980 births
- Living people
- American figure skaters
- Asian American sportspeople
- Chinese Americans
- Figure skaters at the 1998 Winter Olympics
- Figure skaters at the 2002 Winter Olympics
- James E. Sullivan Award recipients
- People from the Greater Los Angeles Area
- Olympic competitors for the United States
- Winter Olympics medalists
- Olympic silver medalists
- Olympic bronze medalists