I feel so proud of Michelle

[cchen24]

I still couldn't believe how she managed to give a performance like she did, because I am still pretty upset about what the judges did yesterday.

All I can say is that I am so proud of her. She just handles everything with grace.

[GinnySmith]

boy, you can say that again!

[debbwin]

she just said on eurosport said she was proud of her skate today...

[fanforever]

she just said on eurosport said she was proud of her skate today...

That's awesome indeed! :D

[cchen24]

Now, Michelle has a full collection of medals at World. First bronze medal won! I am extremely thrilled for her. Maybe in two years, she is going to have a full collection of Olympic medals.

But medal or no medal, I will alway cheer for her and enjoy every moment she performs. She is just so inspiring in so many ways, not only for her skating.

Today, she makes us all proud again.

[earneeee]

she did well :)

[NikkiFinn]

My emotions right now are so mixed. I am so elated and proud for Michelle for doing her best under these circumstances. At the same time I am so mad at the establishment.

[Scholastica]

I'm personally MORE proud of this bronze than last year's world's. This year, she FOUGHT for it DARN HARD. She overcame so many obstacles. She had a series of bad luck and she still didn't give up. What a role model... I'm in tears!

[lilahupa]

so true Scholastica!!!!

[graciesfriend]

Scholastica, I'm in tears with you! Yay, Michelle; you always make us proud! I'll be watching tonight with tears and smiles!

Thank you again for showing us what a superb skater you are and what an incredible human being you continue to be!

[FallingLeaf]

I am so happy for her! Whether she medals or not, she is a champion in every sense of the word!

:FL

[Katty52]

I think I totally agree with you scholastica. Michelle overcame so much at this Worlds and to hold it all together to just show the judges what she is made of. Michelle will come back and spit fire and that will be a joy to behold.

[darya russian1]

It was amazing! Great skate and all these 6.0's, especially after what happened before her skate!

[jojocat]

She is the greatest ever!!!!!!!!! What a beautiful courageous skater!! This bronze is just as much of a victory for her than a gold. She should be so proud!! the judges should be ashamed

[vixen62025]

Let's give her kudos for keeping it together while some weirdo jumped on the ice and started stripping (I think) right as she was getting ready to skate. (I wonder how much of that we'll see on tonight's broadcast?!?!?!)

That could have easily thrown her concentration off, but she held it together and skated like the champion we know and love!

[lillyfly]

I am overcome right now. I am so darn proud of her. She is the greatest! Period!!!!

[Beach Springer]

I couldn't be more proud of her!!! To skate a short and long program like she did, with all the distractions...wow!!! No one can say she chokes under pressure. Not feeling right in the qualifying cost her, and the referee & judges did their best to make things impossible for her, then there's the idiot on the ice! This is one strong, courageous lady. She really has the heart and mind of a champion!!! I'd better never read the choke word associated with Michelle again!!!

[MoonKitty02]

I am delirious with joy. She got a standing ovation in Europe and got six 6.0's for presentation. The Kween definitely Rachs! :FL

[ktsk803]

I am extremely proud of her skate. She will alwways be the best skater to me. Places dont matter. Plus the judging is a joke. So go Michelle! You skated great!
~Caity

[goldblossom88]

My heart is bursting in pride right now for Michelle. Michelle is the best that's why we love her so much... she shows you her heart all the way!!!:SP :SE :TJL :FL

[mano]

That brought tears to my eyes. She is really a true champion in every sense of the word. I am so so proud of her!

[Baylor]

She has proven again why we all go nuts, lose sleep and bite all our nails off for her. She has so much to overcome at this Worlds. Her Qualy performance wasn't great - yet she came back with a beautiful short. She got shacked on the rarely cited "technicality" and came back fighting in the long. She even had a streaker come down on the ice as she was getting ready for the long. Man, she is some competitor!!!!! This long performance to me is similar to 97 worlds - where she had had her worst few months and then the long program was like - BAM -- I"M BACK!!!!!!! I think she said a similar statement tonight!


Baylor

[probativev]

Reading all the posts here about what happened, I'm just moved to tears. I'm so so so so pround of Michelle. This was such a difficult Worlds competition, and she's had everthing against her. I'm really happy to hear that she didn't let anything get to her in the SP and the LP, held her head up high and skated with magnificence and dignity. And she finally, finally got a string of 6s at Worlds!!! I thought this day would never come. There isn't words great or strong enough to express how I feel about her right now.

I'm so proud of our girl!!!! She never lets us down!

Alexa

[madison]

From YAHOO sports:

"But competing in her 11th world championship Kwan, 23, steeled herself and was not even unnerved by a prankster who took took to the ice just before she was due to compete and had to be ushered off by security."

She STEELED herself...you said it!

[Angkok]

She is SOOOOOO amazing!!! With all the crap she's been thru this week- WOW.

:CK

[LuvMK]

I have to wait until I have a chance to see the events on tv. From what I've read, I think its obvious that the judges and powers that be in this sport are determined to control the direction of skaters careers to an alarming degree. They will get away with whatever they feel they can get away with, of course, giving the semblance of overall fairness, when in actuality they have been maneuvering behind the scenes.

I disagree that this is similar to '97. What happened that season was quite different. This all happened in one competition. Michelle went into this comp the favorite, particularly after her performance at Nats. I think that Cohen and the Japanese skaters were also considered to be challengers to Kwan's mantle. However, even by the draw in QR, the manipulations began. Sure the ISU were sending message to Kwan and to USFSA in subtle ways. They wanted to keep MK down in fourth to take the possibility of her winning a sixth championship out of her hands.

The other thing, the way media writes about it saying that Kwan was hoping to win her sixth WC and break a record, and her chances tumbled etc, etc, No, its the media who are obsessed with contemplating records, and eager to see her fail. MK is simply concentrated on competing to the best of her ability. She's not going around thinking too hard about all the flaks that try to tear her down, much less about grabbing medals. She tries to do her best, and I'm sure she's disappointed when not treated fairly, but she simply does not let it bother her. Try as they may and they will, she will not be put out to pasture. She will continue her career and continue to take this sport to new heights. She will decide when its time to stop competing and she will do it on her own terms!

:TOS