Michelle Kwan is one of the most beautiful and expressive skaters of this century. The American public (and the world) have watched her mature from a gawky pre-adolescent who could jump to a lovely, mature young lady who displays a depth of emotion on ice that is remarkable for her years.

I took this image of Michelle Kwan as she walked into the practice area at the Philadelphia Convention Center during the  Nationals in 1998 held just prior to the Nagano Winter Olympics. It was during these Nationals that Michelle gave what many experts consider to be her finest performance.