- Born
- Birth nameMichelle Wing-Shan Kwan
- Nicknames
- Shelle
- Shelley
- Height5′ 2″ (1.57 m)
- Michelle Kwan was born on July 7, 1980 in Torrance, California. She's the youngest of 3 children. Her parents are Danny and Estella, who moved to the U.S. from China in the 1970s. She started skating when she was 5 after watching her brother play hockey. She started competing at 7. In 1991, she & her sister moved to Lake Arrowhead to train more seriously. They shared a cabin there called the Debi Thomas Teepe. She competed in her 1st nationals at 12, winning the silver at 13 & 14. At 15, She won nationals & worlds. The following, season she won the silver at nationals & worlds. Afterwards, she won every competition, except for the 1998 Olympics where she won the silver. She then won Nationals every year from 1998-2005. She won worlds in 1998, 2000, 2001 & 2003.
- IMDb mini biography by: Sarah
- SpouseClay Pell(January 19, 2013 - 2017) (divorced)
- RelativesKaren Kwan(Sibling)
- Inside to outside edge spiral
- American former figure skater.
- Attended UCLA.
- Graduated from Tufts University w/ a master's in international relations (2011).
- 1994, 1995 & 1997 U.S. nationals: silver.
- Graduated from Rim of the World High School (1998).
- What I love the most is getting on the ice and just popping in a fabulous CD and skating - all by myself, the rink completely empty, just me and the music.
- Sometimes my body is aching, but I always think, 'Why am I in this? Why do I love it so much?' That's what makes me persevere, that's what makes me keep on going.
- I got a call this morning, and it was from Nancy Kerrigan, wishing me luck. She wished me luck and sent me all her good wishes.
- I would just love to be able to give back to figure skating.
- I don't really remember a time younger than 5 years old that I didn't have skates on because all I can remember is every day, tying up my skates and a big smile on my face, excited to go on the ice.
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