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Michelle KwanOnline InterviewOctober 19, 2003
In her career, Kwan has received 37 perfect 6.0 marks in major competitions, the most of any skater in history. Kwan's program at the 1996 Worlds, skated to the music of Salome, earned her two 6.0s and is considered one of the most spectacular in World Championships history. Her winning long and short performances at the 1998 U.S. Nationals, where she received 15 perfect 6.0 marks (out of a possible 18) for artistry over the course of the event is the most by any skater in the history of U.S. figure skating and has been called "the gold standard for future generations of figure skaters". She was awarded three 6.0's at the 2003 World Championships. Two of those came for her free skate which has been described as "pure beauty, with the kind of ease and grace other skaters can only dream of". Last season, Kwan won all three Olympic-style events in which she competed, capturing her fourth consecutive and seventh career Skate America title; her sixth consecutive and seventh career US National Championship; and her fifth World Championship crown. In the course of the year earned four more 6.0 marks - one at the US Nationals (where she now has a career 28) and three at the World Championships (career 6). At her first competition of the 2003-04 season, Kwan placed second at the Campbell's International Skating Classic. Kwan's skating accomplishments have earned her numerous awards and honors, including: the 1998 Sportswoman of the Year by the Women's Sports Foundation; the 2001 Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in America; the 2002 and 2003 Kids' Choice Award and the 2002 Teen Choice Award as America's favorite female athlete; a 2002 CosmoGirl! of the Year for her accomplishments and inspiration to others; five-time Female Athlete of the Year in figure skating by the U.S. Olympic Committee (1996, 1998-2001); and a record eleven USOC Athlete of the Month awards. This past year Kwan earned her seventh U.S. Figure Skating Skater of the Year Award (1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001-2003), the only multiple winner of the prestigious award. In an unprecedented move, the U.S. Figure Skating renamed the award in her honor. Starting in 2004 it will be called the Michelle Kwan Trophy. Kwan began skating at age 5 after watching her older brother play hockey and won her first competition at the age of 7. Kwan has enjoyed great success in the entertainment world. Her primetime TV special Reflections On Ice: Michelle Skates to the Music of Disney's Mulan, was selected as the Best-Produced Skating Special 1998-99. Kwan's autobiography, Michelle Kwan: Heart of a Champion (Scholastic, Inc.) was published in 1997 and is now in its sixth printing. Kwan also authored 2 books for Hyperion (The Winning Attitude! and My Special Moments) and collaborated on the 6-book fiction series Michelle Kwan presents Skating Dreams. Kwan also stars in her own interactive video game, Michelle Kwan Figure Skating (Electronic Arts). Kwan serves as a national spokesperson for the Children's Miracle Network Champions Across America Program. Kwan was also selected as one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" for 2000. She helped create the Chevrolet/Michelle Kwan R.E.W.A.R.D.S. Scholarship Program, which awards scholarships to outstanding college-bound female student/athletes. Kwan has recently signed as a spokesperson for the Walt Disney Company. Her older sister, Karen Kwan, was a top skater, finishing fifth at the 1996 U.S. National Championships. Kwan's skating philosophy is to "work hard, be yourself and have fun!" |
The most decorated figure skater in U.S. history, Michelle Kwan's skating brilliance and accomplishments have earned her a place among the all-time greats of the sport. In her career she has won an unprecedented 41 championships, including five World Championships (1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003), six consecutive and seven overall National
Championships (1996, 1998-2003), and two Olympic medals (silver-1998, bronze-2002). In the nearly 100-year history of ladies figure skating,
Kwan's five World titles and eight overall world medals (five gold, three silver) in eight consecutive years (Since 1996.) are all marks that have been bettered only by the immortal Sonja Henie (10 titles/11 medals/11 consecutive years). In the annals of American figure skating,
Kwan's accomplishments are equally extraordinary. Her seven national titles are second only to the legendary Maribel Vinson (9); her six consecutive US crowns ties Vinson (1928-33) and Gretchen Merrill (1943-48) for the longest winning streak in US history; her mark of 10 national medals (7 gold, three silver) has only been surpassed by Vinson (11); her 10 consecutive medals at the US Championships (1994-2003) is a record shared only by Theresa Weld Blanchard (1914-1924); and her five World titles is a feat matched only by Carol Heiss and Dick Button, nearly a half century ago. In addition,
Kwan is the only woman in figure skating history to reclaim the World title three times (1998, 2000, 2003). The artistry and grace of those winning performances have truly put this skating phenom in a class by herself.