Michaela McKibbin

Athlete Bio

Nickname	White Wonder, Head Hunter, Hammer, Mackey
Twitter Name	@m_mckibbin
Birthplace *	Naperville, Illinois
Current Hometown *	Honolulu, Hawaii
Height/ Weight	5'8, +68kg
Family (only child, brothers/sisters, ect) *	youngest of 4. Ashley- 23, Zach-22, Ian-20
What age did you start karate? *	5
What style of karate do you do? *	Shotokan
What's your favorite food? *	tacos
What type of music do you listen to? *	pretty much everything but country
What is your favorite music group or artist? *	Beyonce and The Weeknd
Do you listen to music before you go it the ring? If so, what kind? *	Yes, usually rap
Do you have any pets? What kind? *	no
What is your pets name? *	n/a
Do you have any hidden talents? *	I'm a really good cook
How many hours a week do you workout in preparation for a major tournament? *	15+ hours
How many times have you made the Junior US Team and in what events? *	This is my first time making the team and I can't wait to show everyone what I've got.
Who is your favorite superhero? *	Wonder Woman
Who is your hero in real life? Why? *	My Father is my hero. Growing up I watched my father fight his battle with cancer with courage and strength. with the odds against him he never gave up and was strong for my family and me. He set an amazing example for us and taught us to never make excuses no matter what was going on in our lives.
Hobbies *	Hiking, beach, snorkeling, working out, going on adventures
Favorite Quote *	The world breaks everyone and afterward some are strong in the broken places
Biggest Win. Why? *	My biggest win has to be the 2013 Shotokan world championships in Liverpool, England. This was my very first international competition and I placed 3rd in a huge division of about 40 girls. It was amazing to hear the crowd cheering my name and USA.
What do you love about competition? *	I love the thrill I get in the ring and the response from the crowd. The best moments are when I stand on the podium and realize that all my hard work and sacrifices were worth it.
Favorite way to relax? *	Taking a nice long bubble bath
Where do you get your inspiration from? *	What inspires me is my dreams. One day, I want to be the best. I understand that it will be a long process filled with hard work and sacrifice, but I cling to the hope that one day it will all be worth it. I want to inspire others as well. I want people see me get up after I fall over and over and be encouraged in their own journey. If I do this all for myself it is meaningless, but if just one person is inspired than I know I am truly successful.