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.


Named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People in the World 2000. Father, Danny, mother, Estella, older brother, Ron, older sister, Karen Her book is "The Winning Attitude: What it Takes to be a Champion." Is claustrophobic. Gold Medal, 2000 US National Figure Skating Championships Gold Medal, 1999 US National Figure Skating Championships Gold Medal, 1998 US National Figure Skating Championships Silver Medal, 1997 US National Figure Skating Championships Gold Medal, 1996 US National Figure Skating Championships Silver Medal, 1994 US National Figure Skating Championships Always wears a gold dragon necklace given to her by her grandmother. Gold Medal, 2001 US National Figure Skating Championships. Was the National Campaign chair for the American Library Association's Teen Read Week Oct 17-23 1999 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. Won the bronze medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Has earned more perfect 6.0 scores in competition than any figure skater in the world. She is the new spokesperson for Walt Disney World. Hallmark made a snowglobe with a figurine of her in it. 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. 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. 6 time winner of the "Skater of the Year" Award by Skating Magazine. 1998 Women's Sports Foundation Individual Sportswomen of the Year. Winner of 1997 Dial Award She was a finalist for the Sullivan Award in '96 Gold Medal, 2003 World Figure Skating Championships 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 silver at the 1994 & 2002 Goodwill Games 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. Michelle has won the Nick Kids Choice Award for Favorite Female Athlete twice in 2002 and 2003 Won the gold medal at the 1996, 1998-2005 U.S. National Figure Skating Championships Became an aunt on 2 March 2004 when sister Karen gave birth to Olivia Colett Oppegard. She was added to Compton's Encyclopedia 2004 edition in the Notable People's section. Won the bronze medal at the 2004 Worlds Attended UCLA Younger sister of Karen Kwan.