‘As a Child I Dreamt of Being an Olympian’: Michelle Yeoh Elected to International Olympic Committee

Michelle told the press after taking her oath: “I remember when someone asked me, ‘How did you become an actress?’ I always said, ‘I never dreamt of being an actress, but as a child I always dreamt of being an Olympian’.”

She added that “sports was very much part” of her life while growing up, where she was involved with squash — becoming a Malaysian national champion — athletics, swimming and diving.

Michelle’s squash career was cut short by “two knee surgeries, a bad back”.

“Now I do a lot of free shadowboxing because I still do martial arts in my movies,” she continued. “I keep up with hiking and swimming, which is one of the gentler sports to do.”

Michelle gained fame for her action roles in the 1990s, including Police Story 3: Super Cop (1992), where she acted alongside Jackie Chan.

Her foray into Hollywood came through the James Bond movie Tomorrow Never Dies (1997) — where she played the first ethnically-Chinese Bond girl — and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000).

Outside showbiz, Michelle is a United Nations Goodwill Ambassador, representing her country of Malaysia, and an international campaigner for road safety with her husband Todt.

Todt previously served as the president of the Federation Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the governing body of motorsports, which was recognised by the IOC as a sport in 2013.