Champion skater Michelle Kwan (#56; Topic A)

En route to the beach, I heard over the car radio that the U.S. Olympic Committee had granted Michelle Kwan a spot on the U.S. figure skating squad at the Winter Games next month. (Kwan, due to hip injury, did not compete at the Olympic trials in St. Louis two weeks ago, but petitioned for an exemption or a make-up; in the make-up she performed to the judges' satisfaction.) This is indeed good news. Though a 5-time world champion and 9-time national champion, the Olympic Gold medal eluded her. Kwan was bumped from the team in 1994, when Nancy Kerrigan claimed a spot via injury waiver. Barely a teenager at the time, Kwan's mother, speaking on her behalf, was most gracious in accepting the bump. I presume the U.S. Figure Skating Association took that into account in granting her the petition. At the 1998 Olympics, Kwan was second to teammate Tara Lipinski, and MSNBC headlined: "American beats Kwan", even though Kwan was "born, reared, and trained in the United States" as Iris Chang ruefully wrote in The Chinese in America (2003, pp 392-3). At 2002 Olympics, Kwan was again second (this time to teammate Sarah Hughes), and Seattle Times wrote "American outshines Kwan." How long does it take the media to learn? In any case, we are all routing for you, Michelle.
Posted at 9:52 pm, Monday, January 30, 2006