London Black in News: January 2011

Biography for
Michelle Kwan More at IMDbPro »Date of Birth
7 July 1980, Torrance, California, USA

Birth Name
Michelle Wing-Shan Kwan

Nickname
Shelley, Shelle

Height
5' 2" (1.57 m)

Mini Biography
Michelle Kwan was born in Torrance, California on July 7, 1980. She is the youngest of three children. Her parents are Danny and Estella, who moved to the U.S. from China in the 1970's. Her brother's name is Ron, and her sister's name is Karen. Michelle started skating when she was five after watching her brother play hockey. She started competing at age seven. In 1991 at age eleven, Michelle and her sister moved to Lake Arrowhead, California to train more seriously. They shared a cabin there called the Debi Thomas Teepe. Michelle competed in her first nationals at age twelve. She won the silver at thirteen and fourteen. She won nationals at age 15 along with the worlds that year too. The next season she won the silver at nationals and worlds. The season after she won every competetion, except for the 1998 Olympics, she won the silver there. She has won Nationals every year since 1998, and has won the worlds in 1998, 2000, 2001. She attends UCLA.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Sarah
Trade Mark
Performs an inside to outside edge spiral in her programs

Trivia
Named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World 2000.

Winner of silver medal in Women's Figure Skating during the 1998 Winter Olympics.

Father, Danny, mother, Estella, older brother, Ron, older sister, Karen

Sister is also a skater.

Her book is "The Winning Attitude: What it Takes to be a Champion."

Chinese name is Kwan Wing Shan.

Is claustrophobic.

Spokesperson for Children's Miracle Network.

Gold Medal, 2000 US National Figure Skating Championships
Silver Medal, 1999 World Figure Skating Championships
Gold Medal, 1999 US National Figure Skating Championships
Gold Medal, 1998 World Figure Skating Championships
Gold Medal, 1998 US National Figure Skating Championships
Silver Medal, 1997 World Figure Skating Championships
Silver Medal, 1997 US National Figure Skating Championships
Gold Medal, 1996 World Figure Skating Championships
Gold Medal, 1996 US National Figure Skating Championships
Silver Medal, 1995 US National Figure Skating Championships

Silver Medal, 1994 US National Figure Skating Championships

Gold Medal, 1994 World Junior Figure Skating Championships
Always wears a gold dragon necklace given to her by her grandmother.
Gold Medal, 2001 World Figure Skating Championships.
Gold Medal, 2001 US National Figure Skating Championships.
Sister Karen graduated from Boston University, interned with Vera Wang.
Was the National Campaign chair for the American Library Association's Teen Read Week Oct 17-23 1999

Has a wax statue of herself at The New York Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.

She has her own scholarship, Chevrolet/Michelle Kwan R.E.W.A.R.D.S Scholarship program. It awards $5,000 dollars to 10 student athletes.
Was an award presenter at the 2000 Cover Girl Volunteerism Awards.

Won the bronze medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.
Is the most decorated figure skater, male or female, in US history.
Has earned more perfect 6.0 scores in competition than any figure skater in the world.

April 9, 2002, Michelle Kwan became only the second figure skater in history to win the James E. Sullivan Award which is given to one amateur athlete per year.

She is the new spokesperson for Walt Disney World.

She recently left her hand and skate impressions in a cement block which will be in Walt Disney World.

Hallmark made a snowglobe with a figurine of her in it.

April 20, 2002 won the Nick Kids Choice Award for Favorite Female Athlete

She received a Gold Record after the late Eva Cassidy's "Songbird" reached gold, Michelle had skated to her version of Fields of Gold which brought a lot of attention to the CD which might have gone unnoticed otherwise.
She can be seen in the movie "Sorority Girls" while one of the lead characters is reading a newspaper. The article the character is reading is about Michelle winning her 4th World Championship title, there is a picture of her.

The t-shirt she sold on ebay went for $4,850 which was the highest price of any of the t-shirts that were auctioned off.

She won the 2002 Kid's & Teens Choice Award for favorite female athlete

6 time winner of the "Skater of the Year" Award by Skating Magazine.

5 time winner of the USOC Female Figure Skater of the Year.
1998 Women's Sports Foundation Individual Sportswomen of the Year.
Awarded the Outstanding Achievement in Sports by the The Chinese American Museum
Winner of 1997 Dial Award
Aug 4, 2002 won the Teen Choice Award for Favorite Female Athlete.
She was a finalist for the Sullivan Award in '96
Won her 7th U.S. national title (2003)
Gold Medal, 2003 World Figure Skating Championships
12 time winner of USOC Athlete of the month. That is the record for male and female recipients.

7 time winner of the "Skater of the Year" Award by Skating Magazine. She has won the award so much that the magazine has offically renamed the award the "Michelle Kwan Trophy"

Won the gold at the 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001 & 2003 World Figure Skating Championships

Won the silver at the 1994 & 2002 Goodwill Games

Won the silver at the 1997, 1999 & 2002 World Figure Skating Championships

Parted ways with longtime coach, Frank Carroll, shortly before the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City. She competed without a coach at those Games.

13 time winner of USOC Athlete of the month. That is the record for male and female recipients.
Michelle has won the Nick Kids Choice Award for Favorite Female Athlete twice in 2002 and 2003
She is a spokesperson for Walt Disney World.

Won the gold medal at the 1996, 1998-2005 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships
Won the Silver Medal at the 1994, 1995, and 1997 US National Figure Skating Championships
Became an aunt on 2 March 2004 when sister Karen gave birth to Olivia Colett Oppegard.
Received the "Citizenship Thru Sports Alliance Award" on 23 June 2004 in Dallas, Texas.
She was added to Compton's Encyclopedia 2004 edition in the Notable People's section.

Is a member of the Gamma Phi Beta Sorority.
Won the bronze medal at the 2004 Worlds
Former boyfriend Brad Ference is a hockey player for the New Jersey Devils

Attended UCLA
Graduated from the University of Denver as a political science major and an international studies minor (2009).
Younger sister of Karen Kwan.
Where Are They Now
(August 2003) Michelle has returned to UCLA and is taking a few summer classes.

(February 2006) She is in Turin for the 2006 Olympics Games, but she had to withdraw due to a groin injury