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Michelle Kwan Biography

Picture of figure skater, Michelle Kwan at US Figure Skating Championships.

Courtesy: ABC/Steve Sdojin

After a disappointing finish at the 2005 World Figure Skating Championships, Michelle Kwan is looking towards the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Michelle Kwan - Growing Up

Michelle grew up in Corsatta, California. She became interested in figure skating when she was five, after watching her older brother, Ron, play hockey. When Michelle Kwan was six, she entered her first skating competition and finished first. Michelle skated at the World Figure Skating Championships for the first time in 1994, when she was just 13 years old. She finished eighth and let the world know that there were more great things to come.

Michelle Kwan - World Champion

Michelle Kwan would finish fourth at the World Figure Skating Championships in 1995 and won her first world title in 1996. She would go on to win world titles again in 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2003 and has won a medal of some sort at every World Championship since 1996. This streak of dominance in figure skating could be in a part to a gold dragon necklace, which Michelle Kwan wears around her neck. Her Grandma gave her the necklace for good luck many years ago and she's faithfully worn in at every figure skating competition since.

Michelle Kwan - Olympic Champion?

Although Michelle Kwan has won five world titles, she has yet to win an Olympic gold medal. She finished third at the 2002 Winter Olympics behind Irina Slutskaya and fellow American, Sarah Hughes, who won the gold. She had a disappointing performance at the 2005 World Figure Skating Championships in Moscow, Russia, where she finished fourth. Michelle Kwan's next major competition will be the 2006 Winter Olympics.