Michelle Despain

Michelle Despain Hoeger is an Argentine-American luge athlete. She competed in the 2006 Torino Olympic Games where she placed 24th in the women’s singles event. The track was considered by some as the “hardest track in the world,” a “fast track and a technical track.”[1] Despain bounced into the walls at least twelve times during her four runs and “drew loud cheers after surviving her final slide.”[2]

Despain was born on November 5, 1984, in Rosario, Argentina, and grew up in Provo, Utah. Her father is from Utah and her mother is from Argentina. During high school she was a gymnast and ballroom dancer. She earned an associate’s degree from Utah Valley State College (now Utah Valley University) in 2004 and her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Brigham Young University in 2006. She began competing in luge in 2003. She finished 29th in the women’s singles at the 2005 FIL World Luge Championships.

Despain is married to former Olympic luger Christopher Hoeger. She is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.