Formerly a gymnast and ballroom dancer at Provo High School in Utah, Despain, 21, who now calls Orem, Utah, her home, decided to make the switch to a winter sport at the urging of her boyfriend and his father — both luge competitors and previous Olympians.

Michele holds dual citizenship—U.S.A. and Argentina.  She competes for Argentina.  She was born on November 5, 1984, in Rosario, Argentina.  Michele claims that luge is more frightening to watch than to participate in.  She competed in World Cups in Austria, Germany, Latvia, Italy, Canada and the U.S., qualifying in all six for the 2006 Olympics (Deseret News, Feb 1, 2006).

At the Turin Olympics, Michele ranked 24th in the singles luge.