Michelle Kwan

In the meantime, Kwan racked up a string of medal-winning performances. Repeating as National Champion in 1999, Kwan struggled with a bad cold at that year' World Championship and placed second. She won the 2000 national title and made a surprising comeback in the World Championship to claim another gold medal with a program skated to haunting music from the soundtrack to The Red Violin. With a triple toe-triple toe combination jump and intricate and sophisticated choreography, Kwan had reached another athletic and artistic pinnacle with the program.

Kwan chose another unusual piece of music for her 2001 season, "The Black Swan," by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos. Although her performance at the U.S. Nationals did not include a triple-triple jump, Kwan still managed to win the event. Her performance at the World Championship, however, was perfect; in addition to her triple-triple combination, Kwan completed five other triple jumps. With another gold medal, Kwan reigned for a second consecutive year as the U.S. and World Champion.