Michelle Kwan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michelle Kwan
Kwan in 2022
United States Ambassador to Belize
In office December 5, 2022 – January 16, 2025
President	Joe Biden
Preceded by	Leyla Moses-Ones (chargé d'affaires)
Succeeded by	David Hodge (chargé d'affaires)
Personal details
Born	(1980-07-07) July 7, 1980 (age 45) Torrance, California, U.S.
Height	5 ft 2 in (157 cm)
Spouse	Clay Pell ​ ​ (m. 2013; div. 2017)​
Children	1
Residences	California, U.S.
Michelle Kwan Personal information Country represented  United States Skating club Los Angeles FSC Retired 2006

Michelle Wingshan Kwan (born July 7, 1980) is a famous American figure skater and diplomat. She served as the United States Ambassador to Belize from 2022 to early 2025. In figure skating, Michelle Kwan won two Olympic medals: a silver in 1998 and a bronze in 2002. She also became a world champion five times (1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003). Plus, she was a U.S. champion nine times (1996, 1998–2005). She holds the record for the most U.S. National Championships, tied with Maribel Vinson.

Michelle Kwan competed at the highest level for over ten years. She is the most awarded figure skater in U.S. history. People know her for her amazing consistency and beautiful artistic style on the ice. Many consider her one of the best figure skaters ever.

For more than a decade, Kwan was one of America's most popular female athletes. She signed many big endorsement deals and appeared in TV shows. She was also featured a lot in the media. From 1997 to 2005, she earned the most money from appearances and prizes in U.S. Figure Skating. She was also one of the highest-paid Winter Olympic athletes from endorsements.

After her skating career, Kwan became involved in politics. She worked with the Democratic Party. In January 2022, President Joe Biden chose Kwan to be the U.S. Ambassador to Belize. The Senate approved her nomination on September 29, 2022. She officially started her role on December 5, 2022.

Early Life and Education

Michelle Kwan was born in Torrance, California. She is the third child of Danny and Estella Kwan. Her parents moved to California from Hong Kong. Her father came from Canton in 1971. Michelle grew up speaking both Cantonese and English at home.

Kwan started figure skating at age five. She followed her older siblings, Ron (an ice hockey player) and Karen (a figure skater), onto the ice. Michelle and Karen began serious training when Michelle was about eight. They practiced three to four hours daily. They woke up at 4:30 AM to skate before school. Then they went back to the rink after school to skate again.

Paying for all this ice time was hard for their family. When Michelle was ten, her family could not afford a coach. But a member of the Los Angeles Figure Skating Club helped them. This allowed them to train at the Ice Castle International Training Center. This center is in Lake Arrowhead, California.

Kwan went to Soleado Elementary School in Palos Verdes, California. In 1994, when she was in 8th grade, she started being homeschooled. After finishing Rim of the World High School in 1998, Kwan attended University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for one year.

In 2006, she moved to the University of Denver (DU). Kwan said going to DU was a big change for her. She went from having tutors and being a full-time skater to being a full-time student. She even used crutches at first because of hip surgery.

Soon after starting at DU, Kwan did an internship in international studies. Condoleezza Rice, who was the Secretary of State, chose Kwan for a special role. Kwan became the first American Public Diplomacy Envoy. Her job was to help people around the world understand America better. She did this by sharing her own story with students from other countries.

Kwan said it was hard to balance travel and school. She sometimes took exams right after a long flight. She used what she learned in class in her international work.

In June 2009, she earned a bachelor's degree in international studies. She also had a minor in political science from Denver's Josef Korbel School of International Studies. In 2009, she started graduate school at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University. She graduated in 2011. On May 8, 2010, she received an honorary degree from Southern Vermont College.

Skating Career Highlights

Michelle Kwan performing her signature spiral at a practice session at the 2002 U.S. Figure Skating Championships

Michelle Kwan won five World Championships (1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003). This ties her with Carol Heiss for the most world titles by an American. Kwan's nine world medals are a record for an American skater. Only Sonia Henie of Norway has more world titles or medals in ladies' singles. Kwan also won nine U.S. Championships (1996, 1998–2005). This ties the record set by Maribel Vinson-Owen. She holds the record for winning the most U.S. titles in a row (eight). She also has the most consecutive U.S. Championship medals (twelve).

She won a silver medal at the 1998 Nagano Olympics. She also earned a bronze medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Kwan received 57 perfect scores (6.0s) in major competitions. This is a record for singles skaters under the old 6.0 judging system.

Early Competitions

In 1991, Michelle Kwan and her sister Karen started training with Frank Carroll. Michelle was 11 years old and placed 9th at the junior level at the U.S. Championships. At age 12 in 1992, Michelle became a senior-level skater. In 1993, Kwan finished sixth at her first senior U.S. championships. The next year, she won the 1994 World Junior Championships.

In 1994, Kwan finished second at the U.S. Championships. This would normally have put her on the U.S. team for the 1994 Olympic Games. However, the spot went to Nancy Kerrigan, who had been injured. Kwan, then 13, went to Norway as an alternate but did not compete. At the 1995 World Championships, Kwan finished eighth overall.

At the 1995 U.S. Championships, Kwan placed second. At the 1995 World Championships, she was in fifth place after the short program. She skated her best free skate up to that point. She landed all seven of her triple jumps and showed great joy. She finished fourth overall.

Artistic Growth and 1998 Olympics

Kwan started to develop a more grown-up style in 1995. She used music like "Romanza" and pieces from "Salome's dance" for her programs. She improved her speed and jump technique. Her choreography also became more challenging. Her coach said they were giving judges what they wanted: a world champion, not a girl champion.

Kwan won both the U.S. Championships and the World Championships in 1996. She was the third youngest figure skater to hold both titles. The 1996-97 season began a winning streak for Kwan. She became known as a consistent and well-rounded skater. She was admired for her beauty, musicality, and dramatic performances.

In the 1996–97 season, Kwan had some challenges. She struggled with her jumps due to a growth spurt. She also had problems with new skating boots. She lost to Tara Lipinski at the 1997 U.S. Nationals. She also lost to Lipinski at the 1997 World Championships, finishing second.

Before the 1997—98 Olympic season, the media focused on the rivalry between Kwan and Lipinski. Kwan's programs for this season showed sophistication and pure skating. She chose piano music by Rachmaninoff for her short program. For her free skate, she used music from Lyra Angelica by William Alwyn. She won Skate America and Skate Canada. However, she got a stress fracture in her foot.

Kwan won her U.S. title back from Lipinski at the 1998 National Championships. Even with her fractured toe, she completed all seven jumps in her free program. She earned perfect 6.0s from eight of the nine judges. Many people believe her performances at the 1998 U.S. Championships were the best of her career. Both performances earned her fifteen perfect 6.0s.

Kwan and Lipinski were top favorites for the 1998 Olympic Games in Nagano, Japan. Kwan was first after the short program. In the free skate, Kwan performed well, but Lipinski also skated strongly. Lipinski won the gold medal, Kwan won the silver, and Chen Lu won the bronze.

Lipinski and Chen retired from competitive skating after the Olympics. Kwan continued and won the 1998 World Championships in Minneapolis.

From 1998 to 2002 Olympics

Kwan completing her Scheherazade long program at the 2001–02 Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Ontario, Canada

Kwan kept competing in the 1998–99 season. She won her third national title at the 1999 U.S. Championships. At the 1999 World Championships, she placed second behind Maria Butyrskaya from Russia.

Kwan's win at the 2000 U.S. Nationals was debated by some. She fell on a jump in her short program. But judges still placed her third, keeping her in the running. She then won the free skate with a great performance. At the 2000 World Championships, Kwan was third after the short program. In her free skate, she landed seven triple jumps and won the segment. This allowed her to win the overall title.

In the 2000–2001 season, Kwan started working with famous designer Vera Wang. Wang designed most of her costumes for the next six years. Kwan won the national title again that year. She received perfect scores from all judges in both programs. At the 2001 World Championships, Kwan was second after the short program. She won the title with her "Song of the Black Swan" free skate.

Kwan performing her short program at the 2002 Winter Olympics

Kwan and her coach, Frank Carroll, ended their partnership just before the 2001 Skate America competition. Kwan said she needed to take more responsibility for her skating. Without a coach, Kwan won the 2002 U.S. Championships. She used a new "Scheherazade" program for her free skate. This secured her spot on the 2002 Olympic team.

At the 2002 Olympics, Kwan was a favorite for gold. She led after the short program. In the free skate, Kwan made a couple of mistakes. Sarah Hughes skated a perfect program. Kwan won the bronze medal, while Hughes won gold and Irina Slutskaya won silver. Kwan's last event of the season was the 2002 Worlds, where she won the silver medal.

2002–2006 Skating Seasons

Kwan skating to "Fallin'" in the 2004 World Figure Skating Championships in Dortmund, Germany

Kwan started working with coach Scott Williams in 2002. She continued to compete, but less often. From 2002 to 2004, she only competed in one Grand Prix event. She won that event, Skate America in 2002. Kwan won every competition she entered in the 2002–2003 season. She used music like Peter Gabriel's "The Feeling Begins" and "Concierto de Aranjuez". She won the U.S. Championships and regained her World title.

In 2003, she hired Rafael Arutyunyan as her coach. She wanted to make her programs more difficult and improve her jumps. In the 2003–2004 season, she used "The Feeling Begins" and Puccini's "Tosca". Kwan won the U.S. Championships again. She earned seven more perfect 6.0s for her presentation. At the 2004 World Championships, Kwan placed third overall.

For the 2004–2005 season, Kwan skated her long program to "Boléro". This was choreographed by British ice dancer Christopher Dean. She also debuted a new short program, "Adagio" from Spartacus. At the U.S. Championships, she won her 9th title. This tied the record set by Maribel Vinson-Owen. At the 2005 World Championship, Kwan competed under the new judging system for the first time. She finished fourth overall. This was the first time since 1995 that Kwan did not win a medal at an international competition. It was her last competitive event.

2006 Olympics

Kwan announcing her withdrawal from the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, February 12, 2006

Kwan aimed to qualify for the 2006 Olympic Games in Turin, Italy. However, a hip injury forced her to withdraw from competitions in late 2005. On January 4, 2006, Kwan withdrew from the U.S. Championships due to an abdominal injury. She asked for a medical waiver to be on the 2006 Olympic team. Her request was approved, but she had to prove she was ready to compete.

Kwan performed for a panel on January 27, and her spot on the team was confirmed. But on February 12, 2006, Kwan withdrew from the Games. She had a new groin injury during practice in Turin. Kwan said she "respected the Olympics too much to compete" if she wasn't at her best. Emily Hughes took her place.

After withdrawing, Kwan turned down an offer to be a commentator for NBC Sports. She said she was not retiring yet. In August 2006, Kwan had surgery on her hip. She said this allowed her to skate without pain for the first time in four years.

After 2006 Skating Career

Kwan did not compete during the 2006–2007 figure skating season.

In October 2007, Kwan said she would decide in 2009 if she would compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics. She decided not to, focusing on graduate school instead. She said representing the U.S. as a Public Diplomacy Envoy was rewarding. She wanted to do more of that work.

In August 2009, Kwan skated for the first time in several years. She performed at "Ice All Stars" in Seoul, South Korea. She also appeared in other "All That Skate" shows.

In December 2010, she was a guest of honor in Singapore. She helped open a new synthetic skating rink. She returned to Singapore a month later as a Public Diplomacy Envoy. She met students and promoted ice skating.

As of 2008, Kwan is part of the Committee of 100, a Chinese-American organization. In 2014, Kwan joined Fox Sports 1 for its Winter Olympics broadcast.

Skating Style and Moves

Kwan was known for always delivering clean programs. She was also famous for her strong skating skills and smooth, quiet edges. People said her blades "barely whispered" on the ice. She was also known for her musicality. She combined grace and art with athleticism.

Kwan included almost all triple jumps in her programs. This included two lutzes, which are very difficult. She landed the triple toe-triple toe combination cleanly many times. In the 2004–2005 season, she added a triple flip-double toe-double loop combination.

Starting in 1996, Kwan began doing a special change of edge spiral. This became her signature move. Her spiral was praised for its great extension, speed, and smooth change of edge. In 1998, Kwan brought back a move called the Charlotte spiral. This move had not been seen in decades.

Her split falling leaf was also highly praised by skating legends. Another of her trademark moves is a Y-spin done on both feet. Kwan is also one of the few skaters who can spin in both directions.

Awards and Honors

Michelle Kwan received the James E. Sullivan Award in 2001. This award goes to America's best amateur athlete. She was the first figure skater to win it since 1949. In 2003, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) named her "Sportswoman of the Year." She is the fifth figure skater to get this honor. She was also named USOC "Athlete of the Month" fourteen times, more than any other athlete. She also won the USOC's "Citizenship Through Sports Alliance Award" in 2004.

Kwan is one of only two people to win the "Readers' Choice Figure Skater of the Year" award from Skating magazine multiple times. She won it seven times (1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001–2003). In 2003, the United States Figure Skating Association renamed the award the "Michelle Kwan Trophy." This meant she could no longer win it, even if she kept competing.

• In 1999, Kwan received the Historymakers Award from the Los Angeles Chinese American Museum.
• In May 2000, People magazine named Kwan one of its 50 most beautiful people.
• In 2002, Kwan won the Teen Choice Award for favorite female athlete.
• In 2002, she was chosen as "Cosmogirl of the year."
• In 2002 and 2003, Kwan won the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award for favorite female athlete.
• In 2005, Kwan went to Beijing to accept an award. It was for being the "female athlete kids in China most admire."
• In 2007, the Women's Sports Foundation gave Kwan the Billie Jean Award. This was for her contributions to women's sports.
• In May 2009, the Los Angeles Chinese Historical Society of Southern California honored Kwan.
• In 2010, Kwan received an honorary doctorate degree from Southern Vermont College. She also gave the graduation speech.
• In 2012, Kwan was inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame. She was also inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame.
• In 2014, Harlem Skating honored Kwan for her career.
• In 2017, Kwan was inducted into the California Sports Hall of Fame.

Public Life and Diplomacy

Diplomatic Roles

Kwan in Singapore, January 2011

On November 9, 2006, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice named Michelle Kwan a public diplomacy ambassador. In this role, Kwan represented American values, especially to young people. She traveled widely. Her first trip as an ambassador was to China in January 2007.

She continued her diplomatic role during the Barack Obama administration. She worked with then Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

After her first trip to China, Kwan visited other countries. She went to Russia in June 2007, Argentina in March 2008, Ukraine in February 2009, South Korea in January 2010, and Singapore in January 2011.

On April 15, 2011, Kwan became an adviser for the U.S.-China Women's Leadership Exchange and Dialogue (Women-LEAD). In December 2012, Kwan was appointed a senior adviser for public diplomacy and public affairs at the State Department.

In June 2015, Kwan announced she would support Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign. She worked on outreach efforts from Clinton's headquarters.

United States Ambassador to Belize

Kwan with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in 2022

On December 15, 2021, President Joe Biden announced his plan to nominate Kwan. She would become the United States ambassador to Belize. She was officially nominated on January 7, 2022. Hearings for her nomination were held on May 18, 2022. The Senate approved her on September 29, 2022. She received her appointment on October 7 and was sworn in on October 10, 2022. She presented her credentials to Governor-General of Belize Dame Froyla Tzalam on December 5, 2022. She is the first Asian American woman to hold this position. She served in that role until January 2025.

Film and TV Appearances

Kwan has appeared as herself in TV shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy. She also made guest appearances on Arthur, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and other shows. She voiced a shopkeeper in Disney's movie Mulan II. Kwan also voiced a character named Michelle Kwanzleberry in the series finale of Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!. In 2005, she and fellow skater Brian Boitano were announcers in the film Ice Princess.

In 1998, Kwan made a deal with Walt Disney Television. This led to her starring in three prime-time skating specials on ABC. These included Reflections on Ice (1998), Michelle Kwan Skates to Disney's Greatest Hits (1999), and Princess on Ice (2001). She also appeared in other televised skating specials.

In 1999, she appeared in the Michelle Kwan Figure Skating computer game.

Other Activities

Kwan at the Special Olympics Massachusetts, September 25, 2010

Scholastic published Kwan's autobiography in 1998. It is called Heart of a Champion.

In 1999, Kwan signed a deal with Disney Publishing Worldwide for eight books. This included an inspirational book for children called The Winning Attitude: What it Takes to be a Champion. There was also a series of fictional skating books inspired by Kwan.

In 2005, Kwan's family opened the EastWest Ice Palace in Artesia, California. This ice rink displays many of her skating medals and souvenirs.

In January 2009, George W. Bush appointed Kwan to the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. She continued this role in the Obama administration.

Kwan has long supported the Special Olympics. She takes part in "unified sports" events. These events bring together athletes with and without intellectual disabilities. In 2011, she joined the board of directors for the Special Olympics.

Endorsements

Kwan has had many endorsement deals throughout her career. These include brands like Campbell's, Coca-Cola, Disney, McDonald's, Starbucks, and Visa.

Her multi-year deal with Chevrolet (starting in 2000) was worth over $1 million. Chevrolet also created a scholarship program with Kwan.

In 2002, Kwan became a "celebrity representative" for The Walt Disney Company. This three-year deal was reportedly worth $1 million a year. The deal was renewed and expanded in 2006.

Personal Life

In September 2012, Kwan announced her engagement to Clay Pell. He is an American lawyer and military officer. He was also a director for strategic planning at the White House. In February 2014, he ran for Governor of Rhode Island but was not successful. Pell is the grandson of Senator Claiborne Pell. The couple met in April 2011. They married on January 19, 2013, in Providence, Rhode Island. Vera Wang designed Kwan's wedding dress.

After four years of marriage, Pell filed for divorce from Kwan in March 2017.

On January 5, 2022, Kwan announced the birth of her first child, a daughter.

Political Views and Activism

Kwan worked for Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign. She was an outreach coordinator. She explained that she felt she had to get involved.

She said supporting Clinton was an easy choice for her. This was because of her family's immigrant background. "Every day I'm reminded about my personal story, about what's at stake in these elections. I think of my parents, and as I look around the room, we probably share similar stories, of how our parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents might have immigrated to the U.S. It's so the next generation of Americans have the ability to dream that dream."

In May 2021, it was announced that Kwan would help produce "Recipe for Change" for YouTube. This special brought together Asian American celebrities, chefs, and activists. They celebrated Asian and Pacific Islanders culture. They also discussed hate and violence against the community. "Recipe for Change" was nominated for an Emmy Award.

Skating Programs

Competitive Achievements

These tables show Michelle Kwan's results in major figure skating events. These include the World Figure Skating Championships, the Olympic Winter Games, the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating, and the U.S. Championships.

See also

In Spanish: Michelle Kwan para niños