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Skaters

Michelle Kwan

Born:

July 7, 1980

Birthplace:

Torrance, CA

Height:

5' 2"

Level:

Senior

Hometown:

Los Angeles, CA

Training Town:

Artesia, CA

Club:

Los Angeles FSC

Coach:

Rafael Arutunian

Choreographer:

Tatiana Tarasova

The most decorated figure skater in U.S. history, Michelle Kwan has won an unprecedented 42 championships, including five world championships (1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003), eight consecutive and nine overall U.S. Championship titles, (1996, 1998-2005) and two Olympic medals (silver-1998, bronze-2002) ... In the nearly 100-year history of ladies figure skating, Michelle's five world titles and nine overall world medals (five gold, three silver, 1 bronze) in nine consecutive years (1996-2004) are all marks that have been bettered only by the immortal Sonja Henie of Norway (10 titles/11 medals/11 consecutive years) ... She is the only woman in figure skating history to reclaim the world title three times (1998, 2000, 2003) ... Kwan's eight consecutive U.S. Championship titles (1998-2005) and 12 consecutive U.S. Championship medals (1994-2005) are both U.S. records ... Her nine career U.S. titles tie the legendary Maribel Vinson, who won nine titles in the 1920s and 30s; her mark of 12 U.S. medals (9 gold, 3 silver) are the most in U.S. skating history ... In her career, she has received 57 perfect 6.0 marks in major competitions, the most of any U.S. skater in history, and any singles skater ever ... She has been awarded at least one 6.0 in each of her last five U.S. Championships, a U.S. record ... Her winning long and short performances at the 1998 U.S. Championships, 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 ... Prior to the 2001-02 season, Kwan split from longtime coach Frank Carroll ... Kwan and Carroll had been together since 1992 ... In December 2003, she began working with Rafael Arutunian.

The youngest of three children, Kwan began skating at the age of 5 after watching her older brother play hockey ... She won her first figure skating competition at age 7 ... She always wears a Chinese good luck charm around her neck that was given to her by her grandmother ... Kwan's autobiography, "Michelle Kwan: Heart of a Champion," was published in October 1997 and is now in its sixth printing ... Kwan serves as a national spokesperson for the Children's Miracle Network "Champions Across America" program and for Disney ... She is a seven-time recipient of SKATING magazine's Readers' Choice Award for figure skater of the year ... In 2003, the trophy that is given out for the Readers' Choice Award was renamed the "Michelle Kwan Trophy" ... Kwan signed an exclusive deal with Electronic Arts (EA Sports) to create the first interactive figure skating video game (Michelle Kwan Figure Skating) for the personal computer that debuted in the fall of 1999 ... Has claimed a record 14 USOC Sportswoman of the Month honors ... In May 2000, Kwan was named one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World" by People magazine ... In November 2006, she was named a public diplomacy ambassador, for which she represented American values to young people and sports enthusiasts around the world ... In January 2009, she was appointed to the President's Council on physical fitness ... In February 2009, she joined new Vice President Joe Biden and several others in the Presidential Delegation at the 2009 Special Olympics World Winter Games ... Her older sister Karen finished fifth at the 1996 U.S. Figure Skating Championships ... Kwan is now an aunt to Olivia Oppegard, her sister Karen's first child with husband Peter, a three-time U.S. champion in pairs.

2005 Season Notes
SP Music: "Totentanz"; FS Music: Prelude in C Sharp Minor, Op. 3 No. 2 by Rachmaninoff

Kwan did not compete in any major competitions this season due to injury ... She petitioned for a bye to the Olympic Winter Games, and the petition was granted ... After her first practice in Torino, she withdrew from the Games after suffering another injury ... She finished first in fan voting at the Marshalls U.S. Figure Skating Challenge in December 2005.
2004 Season Notes
SP Music: "Adagio" from Spartacus; FS Music: "Bolero" by Ravel.

Kwan did not compete in this year's Grand Prix Series, but she won her ninth U.S. title in January ... She finished fourth at the World Championships.
2003 Season Notes
Skating to music from "Tosca" by Giacomo Puccini, Kwan finished second at the Campbell's Classic in New York City to open the season ... She switched coaches in December and now trains with Rafael Arutunian ... She won the International Figure Skating Challenge Dec. 5 ... She won her seventh consecutive and eighth overall U.S. title at the 2004 State Farm U.S. Championships, earning seven 6.0 marks in the free skate for presentation ... She is using last year's "The Feeling Begins" by Peter Gabriel for the short program ... At the World Championships won her ninth medal in nine consecutive years ... In her free skate earned six perfect 6.0 marks, the most of any woman in the competition, giving her a career total of 12 at the World Championships.
2002 Season Notes
Kwan won her fifth World title in Washington, D.C., in March ... She won her qualifying group, then swept through the short program and free skate... Overall, she earned three perfect 6.0s for presentation in the event... She is now tied with Carol Heiss for most World titles by a U.S. skater and trails only Sonja Henie overall, who collected 10 World titles in her career... Kwan won her seventh U.S. title and sixth straight in Dallas in January... Kwan, a last minute addition to Smart Ones Skate America, claimed her seventh career and fourth straight title in Spokane ... Kwan debuted her new short program to the music "The Feeling Begins" by Peter Gabriel ... It was the second straight title for Kwan this season after winning the Campbell's International Figure Skating Classic in Daytona Beach, Fla., Oct. 5 ... Earned three 6.0s at the 2003 World Championships and one 6.0 in the free skate at the U.S. Championships ... She did not compete at the ISU Grand Prix Final (although she did qualify in the sixth spot with 12 points) ... Kwan began training with Scott Williams in the summer of 2002.
2001 Season Notes
With her seventh World medal in nine appearances, Kwan moved ahead of Dick Button, Carol Heiss, Hayes Jenkins and Todd Eldredge for the most World medals by a U.S. skater .., Kwan won the bronze medal at the Olympic Winter Games in February ... Kwan claimed her sixth career and fifth straight U.S. ladies title at the 2002 State Farm U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Los Angeles, Calif., Jan. 12 ... Kwan received two perfect 6.0 marks for her free skate, adding to her U.S. Championships record for most 6.0s ... Kwan claimed her third straight silver medal and fifth career medal at the 2002 ISU Grand Prix Final in Kitchener, Canada, Dec. 15 ... Kwan won her third straight and sixth career Skate America title in Colorado Springs in October -- the most titles by anybody in the history of the event ... On Oct. 23, 2001 Kwan split with longtime coach Frank Carroll. Kwan and Carroll had been together since 1992.

Michelle Kwan on and off the ice