Great genes and the Olympic dream

CBC Sports - February 12, 2009 01:15 PM Posted by Jessica Gregg
Ever since I was a little girl, I always had the dream of going to the Olympics.

I guess technically I already have been though, as I was in my mom’s tummy during the 1988 Winter Games in Calgary. She was there volunteering at the speedskating oval and watching my dad, Randy Gregg, play in the men's hockey tournament.

My mom, Kathy Gregg, had retired from competitive long-track speedskating after representing Canada in two Olympics prior to Calgary — the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck and the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. Not many people can say that one of their parents went to the Olympics, let alone both of them! I get reminded often that I have some very good genes for skating, and sport in general. I don’t argue with that fact, but I know that I got much more than good genes from both of them.