Michelle Kwan, 2006 Olympic Gold Medalist?? | Golden Skate

Michelle Kwan, 2006 Olympic Gold Medalist??

S

SkateFan4Life

Guest
Well, it's not a surprise that Michelle Kwan has remained in the eligible ranks and is preparing her programs for the 2004-2005 season. Given that the 2006 Winter Olympics are less than two years away, it stands to reason that Kwan is gearing up for yet another run at the elusive Olympic gold medal.

If she competes at the 2006 Olympics, will she win? I think she will, IF:

(1) She skates her heart at at both short and long programs.

(2) She doesn't make any silly mistakes, such as skating past the end of the music, as she did at this year's Worlds.

(3) She upts the ante, technically, and lands at least one triple/triple combo in the long program. A triple toe/triple toe is a relatively easy 3/3 combo, but a clean 3/3 combo would make a strong technical statement for her.

(4) She stays healthy and injury-free.

(5) She really, really, really (!!!) wants the gold medal and goes for it.

(6) She keeps her focus, skates in tunnel vision mode, and shuts all all distractions, including the media, etc.

(7) She doesn't count on winning by benefiting from the mistakes of other skaters. Just go for it!

Personally, I think Michelle is going to win the gold in 2006. I hope she does.

Good luck, Michelle! :)
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
This was said also in 1998 and 2002 :rolleye:

Having said that, I think it will go to someone else...I just have this gut feeling. Heck, I don't even know if she's definitely gonna be there but maybe she's all but committed (publicly) to going. Maybe it's a good strategy for her to do that. Helps keep the media off her back and put pressure on someone else, like Cohen (who has announced she WILL be there barring injury or disaster).
 

BronzeisGolden

Medalist
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
5) She really, really, really (!!!) wants the gold medal and goes for it.

This is the only one I'm not sure about. I actually hope that if she does go to Turin she will not be so fixated on winning Gold. I believe this time she'll probably just want that "dream" Olympic performance...Gold or no Gold. (LOL..of course the Gold medal would make it VERY complete). I don't think she is completely happy with her past Olympic performances. Perhaps she wants to give it her best and see what happens.
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
I think much of what happens this season will determine whether or not she skates the Olys. She's mysterious but this season will either be her moment to leave her skates on the ice and walk off to retirement OR SKATE THE OLYS TO WIN!!! I hope she is satisfied with this season whatever the outcome.

Joe
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Red Dog said:
This was said also in 1998 and 2002 :rolleye:

Having said that, I think it will go to someone else...I just have this gut feeling. Heck, I don't even know if she's definitely gonna be there but maybe she's all but committed (publicly) to going. Maybe it's a good strategy for her to do that. Helps keep the media off her back and put pressure on someone else, like Cohen (who has announced she WILL be there barring injury or disaster).

and don't forget Arakawa, Ando, Segura, Ota, Kostner, Slutskaya, Sebastyen, Poykio, etc. It seems every skater is chasing La Kwan who doesn't say boo. And don't forget it's a slippery sport. We saw it in the Dortmund LPs. :rolleye:

Joe
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Joesitz said:
and don't forget Arakawa, Ando, Segura, Ota, Kostner, Slutskaya, Sebastyen, Poykio, etc. It seems every skater is chasing La Kwan who doesn't say boo. And don't forget it's a slippery sport. We saw it in the Dortmund LPs. :rolleye:

Joe

I was referring to the American media, and you know how they are...hyping the American most likely to have a shot at winning...sorry if I wasn't clear about that.

I'm not so sure what you are trying to say (the "La kwan comment) :confused:
 

Ladskater

~ Figure Skating Is My Passion ~
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
When a skater or athlete has been chasing the Olympic dream as long as Michelle has, one only wishes that person to achieve their Olympic goal of a gold medal.

I know when Victor and Shae-Lynn had their Olympic medal chance at the last winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, I was really cheering for them. They worked so hard all these years and deserved some colour of Olympic medal. However, it was not to be...as someone said ice is slippery...down went Bourne and Kraatz and their "last kick at the can" as it were with the Olympics.

So, it is with Michelle. I certainly wish her the best. Anything can happen. I hope some young teenager does not come along and grab it away from her.
 

Jaana

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
Country
Finland
I think that a lot depends how Michelle succeeds in 2005 Worlds, in 2004 she won only a bronze (normally being at least 2nd).

If Michelle is going to next Olympics, I doubt that she will win. LOL, of course anything is possible, but actually I would be surprised if she will even stand on the podium in Turin. There are so many skaters really seriously competing against her, more than ever.

In Nagano Michelle had her best chance to win the gold, after that the Olympic pressure for her is bigger every time, in my opinion. In Nagano she also had bad luck in having a freeskate programme that did not allow Olympic nervousness, it would show too clearly in her skating.

Marjaana
 
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Eeyora

Final Flight
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
I also really really want Michelle Kwan to win the Olympic Gold Medal in 2006. She is my favorite skater of all time and I believe she is capable of doing it depending on the technical difficulty of the other skaters. I was upset in 1998 and devastated in 2002 when she didn't win.
 

ladybug

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
I would love to see Michelle win gold in Turin. I would be so happy for her. I think Michelle wants to win too much rather than just go for it. I remember when she got on the ice for her long program at SLC. She skated right into position for her opening pose. She didn't take any time focusing or preparing mentally. As soon as I saw that, I knew she would not skate her personal best.

If she could tell herself that she wants to skate a perfect program and has no expectations of winning. No holding back - just skate her heart out knowing that this will be her last Olympics and have fun she just may win the gold after all.

Unless Michelle lets go and not hold back on the 3/3's she has been working on, I am afraid some young up-start will grab that gold and run with it. I would rather see her turn pro than have to deal with another disappointment at the Olympics. As we have seen over and over, you can never count Michelle Kwan out. We may be in for a big surprise. (fingers crossed)

Ladybug
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
I don't think Michelle will let Michelle win... I think she'll end up like Kurt Browning... great skater without the Olympic Gold(one thing she has over him is she's actually been on the podium)
 

floskate

On the Ice
Joined
Nov 18, 2003
If she does go I hope its as the underdog. Let Sasha take all the hype and then she can just really surprise everyone. I'd like her to skate a wonderful performance that she can look back on with great pride no matter what the outcome. And heck I just hope she has a coach with her!!!!!!
 
Joined
Jul 11, 2003
Red Dog said:
I was referring to the American media, and you know how they are...hyping the American most likely to have a shot at winning...sorry if I wasn't clear about that. I'm not so sure what you are trying to say (the "La kwan comment) :confused:

The media from wherever is pushing whomever they consider newsworthy. Kwan is hardly in the news. An appearance on Today show once a year and ususally after a compeitition which she didn't get gold, and that's it.

I think what is interesting about MK is that she has been at it for some time, and longevity in Sports is always newsworthy. Some of those athletes in the Summer Olympics were there for the third and even fourth time. I don't see anything wrong with that. I marvel at it.

As for MK, those of us who see her as the 'greatest' of all time, are not going to change whether or not she wins Olympic gold or even goes to the Olys. The legend status is already there.

The "La" signifies "the one and only" like La Streisand; La Piaf; La Duse of the Dance, etc.

Jaana - I totally agree with you. Much depends with this season. In fact, I think she may not even show up for Worlds, if the GPs are not to her satisfaction. I don't think she would like to announce retirement in a foreign city.

Oh, well, we just keep on guessing with MK.

Joe
 

euterpe

Medalist
Joined
Sep 4, 2003
I dearly hope that she will win, but I know that if she doesn't, I won't think any the less of her. I think she does want to win (no top skater goes into the Olympics hoping to finish 2nd), but I also believe that if she doesn't win she won't be devastated as she was in 1998, when she skated two clean programs and still finished 2nd. She was terribly disappointed in 2002, but knew she hadn't won because she hadn't skated her best. If she does go to Torino and skates to her full ability, whether she wins or not, she'll be satisfied that she gave it a good try.
 

RealtorGal

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 27, 2003
euterpe said:
If she does go to Torino and skates to her full ability, whether she wins or not, she'll be satisfied that she gave it a good try.

She will never be satisfied until she wins gold--not that there's anything wrong with that! :D :)
 

diamondqueen

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 4, 2003
I totally agree with you. I think if she really wants the gold she should just go for it. Forget about the past and every one who is competiting and just go out and skate. :love:

You all know I am a loyal devote MKFan and want her to wn.

MK, JUST GO OUT AND DO IT!!!!!!!! ;) ;) ;) ;) :love:

diamond :)
 

show 42

Arm Chair Skate Fan
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I would love for her to win gold............she deserves it, yes I said she deserves it. It doesn't matter to me one way or the other, she'll still be the one of the "best", but I think it matters to her, and that's what counts. She's a seasoned Olympian. Sometimes that's the defining difference between "seizing the moment" or not. (Sometimes, it makes no difference!) 42
 

RIskatingfan

On the Ice
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
I don't understand how people can refer to Michelle as being an underdog. That simply is not possible, you can never count her out and this has been proved many times over the years. She won her 5th World title the season before the last one and is still a Worlds' medalist and current US national champion. I think anyone can hardly call her an underdog LOL And the hype is still there, it's always there. A rumor about her next LP is subject for pages and pages of discussion. Even American articles about the summer Olympics constantly bring up her name. Look at the message boards all over, every thread can eventually turn into a Kwan thread. The first thing I thought when I saw this thread was "ugh, ANOTHER Kwan and Olympics thread". (no offense to the original poster)

Unless she skates so bad in Moscow that she won't win a medal and she has a struggling Olympic season, it's virtualy impossible to say she is an underdog. She may not be the overwhelming favorite, but IMO she will always be one to beat.
 
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