Posted
on July 7, 2014
She
really, really wanted an Olympic gold medal.
But
sometimes you can want something really badly, you can work really
hard for it, you can even become “the best,” and you still
might not reach a particular goal.
How
you handle that disappointment makes all the difference. If you are
very proud of all you did achieve, and if you are gracious in
the face of your disappointment, and if you move on to other
wonderful things – then you gain more respect and happiness than
many people who actually achieve their most high-flying dream.
Michele
Kwan never got the Olympic gold medal in Women's Figure Skating, but
she did earn a silver and a bronze. She also earned NINE U.S.
championships and an amazing FIVE World championships.
She is the most decorated figure skater in U.S. history!
And
because of Kwan's consistency and artistry for over a decade, she is
considered one of the greatest figure skaters of all time!
She
was also one of the most popular female athletes in the United States
throughout her competitive career.
She landed tons of endorsement
deals and was the top-paid skater for a number of years.
It's
really a minor footnote than she never won Olympic gold, don't you
think?
Stats
and facts...
Michele
Kwan was born and raised in Southern California (I was born and still
live in So Cal, myself). Her parents were immigrants from Hong Kong.
Kwan
is only five feet two inches tall! And still, when she performed her
signature spiral, her legs seemed to go on for days!
Kwan
has earned many awards aside from her skating medals, including the
Billie Jean Award for her contribution to women's sports, being named
one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world by People
magazine, and an honorary doctorate's degree from a college in
Vermont.
Skating
magazine has a Reader's Choice Figure Skater of the Year award. The
skaters who have won this award have only one once, except for Johnny
Weir, who won it twice. And except for Michele Kwan, who won it SEVEN
times! In 2003, the organizers of the award joked that they were
renaming it to the Michele Kwan Trophy, and they said that she was no
longer eligible for the award.
Kwan
has acted as public diplomacy ambassador under Presidents George W.
Bush and under Barack Obama; she has traveled to many places in the
world representing American values. She is now a State Department
senior adviser for public diplomacy and public affairs.
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