Kaitlyn McGregor

Reason for choosing this sport

She originally played ice hockey. Her grandmother was watching the 2006 Olympic Winter Games and saw skater Cindy Klassen, who had moved from ice hockey to speed skating, so she suggested Kaitlyn make a similar switch. She gave it a go and found she was good at it. "I was always the fastest on my ice hockey team."

Hero / Idol

Her father Mark. (Athlete, 16 Feb 2023)

When and where did you begin this sport?

She began skating at age three. She got involved in speed skating at age 12 at the Dolder ice rink in Zurich, Switzerland.

Famous relatives	Her father, Mark McGregor, coached in the Swiss national ice hockey league. (20min.ch, 26 Feb 2010)
Sporting philosophy / motto	"If not now, when?" (Athlete, 10 Dec 2013)

www.facebook.com/pages/Kaitlyn-Anne-McGregor/318121987333
twitter.com/mcgregorK

Other sports	She was a member of the Switzerland ice hockey team that won the 2010 World U18 Championship Division I in Piestany, Slovakia. She has also played in the Swiss Women's Ice Hockey League [SWHL] B-Division. (Athlete, 16 Feb 2023; reports.iihf.hockey, 03 Apr 2010; eliteprospects.com, 01 Mar 2018)
Awards and honours	She was presented with the 2011 Sports Prize of the City of Zurich in the young talent category. (stadt-zuerich.ch, 31 Dec 2020)
Milestones	She competed in team pursuit alongside her international teammates Nadja Wenger and Ramona Hardi at the 2021 World Cup event in Heerenveen, Netherlands, which was the first time Switzerland had been represented in women's team pursuit on the World Cup circuit. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Feb 2021; swissiceskating.ch, 15 Dec 2020)
Other information	STEPPING AWAY She took a seven-year break from competitive international speed skating between 2014 and 2021. She had informed Swiss Ice Skating of her decision to step away from the sport in 2015, partly because of her disappointment at not being able to compete at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi because Switzerland had not secured a quota spot. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Feb 2021; speedskatingnews.info, 31 Jan 2021; aargauerzeitung.ch, 01 Nov 2015) DUAL CITIZENSHIP She is a citizen of both Canada and Switzerland. (aargauerzeitung.ch, 01 Nov 2015)

Training Regime	During the northern hemisphere summer she trains up to 25 hours a week in Geisingen, Germany.
Club / Team	Eislauf-Club Zurich: Switzerland

Memorable sporting achievement	Winning three medals [one silver, two bronze] at the 2013 World Junior Championships in Collalbo, Italy, and representing Switzerland in team pursuit. (Athlete, 16 Feb 2023)
Most influential person in career	Coach Kalon Dobbin. (Athlete, 16 Feb 2023)

Name of coach

Kalon Dobbin [national], NZL

Nicknames

Kait (Athlete, 16 Feb 2023)