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Champion skater Kwan hired as Disney spokeswoman
2006-02-16
Days after dropping out of the Winter Games, ending her epic quest for Olympic gold, figure skating champion Michelle Kwan accepted a new job on Thursday as celebrity representative for the Walt Disney Co. Kwan, who recently declined an offer from rival media company NBC Universal to join its Olympics broadcast, will take part in promotions, advertising and public service messages involving all of Disney's businesses, the company said. The deal also calls for her to make guest appearances on original TV programming and make personal appearances at live company events. Disney owns the ABC television network. Financial terms of the multiyear agreement were not disclosed. Kwan, 25, one of the most successful and recognized figure skaters of all time, has won a record-tying nine U.S. national titles and five world championships. But her decade-long hunt for an Olympic gold medal came to a tearful end on Sunday as she withdrew from competition due to a groin injury. NBC, which is providing U.S. television coverage of the Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, initially offered Kwan a job as an on-air commentator for the Games back in January, when it appeared she would not make the U.S. team, NBC has said. An insider at the General Electric Co.-owned network said Kwan declined an opportunity to take up NBC's offer, saying she did not wish to be a distraction to her former teammates. Kwan, the daughter of Chinese immigrants and a native of the Los Angeles suburb of Torrance, has been associated with Disney projects before, skating to the music of Disney's animated film hit "Mulan" in a 1998 television special and appearing in the 1994 special "Greatest Hits on Ice."
Cohen Leads After Dazzling Short Program (2006-02-21)Smilin' Emily Hughes Makes Turin Debut (2006-02-17)Champion skater Kwan hired as Disney spokeswoman (2006-02-16)"American Idol" steals Olympic gold in TV ratings (2006-02-15)Injured Michelle Kwan pulls out of Olympics (2006-02-12)
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