Whatever Happened to Figure Skater Michelle Kwan?



If the name Michelle Kwan means anything to you, it probably conjures up an image of a young woman in a glittery costume and ice skates. That’s because Michelle Kwan is the most award-winning U.S. figure skater ever — a 2-time Olympic medalist, 5-time world champion, and 9-time U.S. champion. She is, however, much more than a figure skater. Today the popular athlete is the U.S. Ambassador to Belize. At 43, Kwan now aims to advance foreign policy instead of landing complicated jumps. Although the goals are different, she applies the same lessons from her parents that helped make her a champion on the ice: “Work hard, be yourself, have fun.” Part of that hard work is ensuring that Belize, a small nation on the northeastern coast of Central America, doesn’t become a haven for criminal groups. Reflecting on how the U.S. investments she helped steer will improve conditions in the region, Kwan sounds just as happy as she once was doing double axels and camel spins. These days, when she takes her place on the podium, she aims to be the champion of “fostering democracy and shared prosperity in the Western Hemisphere.”