Denny Morrison Website

Canadian used his brother as benchmark to achieve international acclaim

Last Updated: Friday, January 15, 2010 | 1:01 PM ET

By Dan Robson, CBC Sports

Canadian speedskater Denny Morrison reveals that 'my biggest rival right now is myself.' (Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Denny Morrison's Olympic silver medal weighed heavily around his neck after the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

The medallion, an albatross of sorts, was a symbol of everything the promising speedskater had achieved - but also a nagging reminder of what he hadn't.

"I was a dark horse to even make the Olympics, and here I [was] coming home with an Olympic medal. So, I was pretty proud of that," he says of the medal he won as part of Canada's team-pursuit squad.

The success, however, was clouded by regret. Heading to Turin, Morrison was ranked third and fifth in the 1,000 metre and the 1,500. He finished 19th and 11th, respectively.

"It was pretty disappointing for me," he says. "I sort of looked at the Olympics overall as a failure and as something I want to improve upon this time."

Fortunately, the 24-year-old has continued to thrive since then. He was named Canada's top male speedskater for four straight years. And he became overall world champion in the 1,500 metre in 2008 (the highlight of his career so far in Morrison's view).

This season, he got off to a slow start but has picked up three bronze medals in the 1,000 and the 1,500, which are his specialties.

And today, at a gas station near you, there is a pack of Excel gum with Morrison's face on it. An image of the speedskater, pictured mid-stride on the ice, appears coast to coast on the gum's current Olympic-themed wrapper.

The attention, however, doesn't appear to phase Morrison, who just looks to succeed with every new stride.

"I think my biggest rival right now is myself," he says. "I know that I can skate faster than I have been this season."

Bond of brothers

In a sport of individual accomplishments, Denny's story is very much one of pairs.

He grew up racing with his older brother, Jay, 26, on an outdoor track in their hometown of Fort St. John, B.C.

Jay was four when his parents, Dennis and Carol Morrison, first put him on the ice. Denny followed at the same age, two years later. From there, they carved their sibling rivalry on that glassy oval, race after race, year after year.

Naturally, the younger brother spent most of that time chasing down the older, who was always a stride ahead.

"The whole way growing up, there was comparing," says Jay, who would often win championships, with Denny vowing to follow in his skate tracks.

Jay became the Canadian junior champion in 2001- a title he earned again in 2002 and 2003. He was Denny's benchmark for greatness.

"I don't really think I'd be where I am today without my brother," says Denny. "He was always the guy I chased down. I always wanted to be as fast as him.

Denny, left, spend most of his youth chasing down his older brother, Jay. (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press)

Catching, surpassing

It was at the 2005 World Cup trials that Morrison broke the Canadian record in the 1,500 metres and hes never looked back. (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press)

After finishing high school, the brothers lived together in Calgary, where they trained as members of the national long-track team at the Olympic Oval.

They lived very much as brothers do: working together on a sputtering Dodge Stealth, customizing furniture with sound systems, sharing the kitchen duties (Jay cooks; Denny does the dishes) - and, of course, training to be the fastest men on ice.

It was at the 2005 World Cup trials in the 1,500-metre race that Denny officially beat his older brother on the long track for the first time. He broke a Canadian record in the process and never looked back.

Two weeks later, he broke the record again. And two weeks after that, "the Denmeister," as he is sometimes called by his family, surpassed his record once more.

A few months later, in February 2006, he was standing on the podium in Turin yearning for a chance to do it all again.

"It was my breakthrough, I guess," he says of World Cup trials. "I never thought of this before, but it kind of all started with beating my brother."

And that's just fine with Jay.

"I'm so proud of [Denny] when I watch him skate," he says. "I find his skating incredible to watch."

One of Jay's career highlights was winning a World Cup gold medal in the team pursuit with his brother last winter.

"We were both on the top step, and that was really neat," says Jay. "It's really special to be on the podium with your brother."

Bittersweet Games

But when Denny hits the ice in Vancouver next month, his brother — who he chased with admiration for so many years — will be watching from the stands.

The elder Morrison didn't make the Olympic cut. It was the end of a dream, in a way.

"I mean, of course, I want to be there so badly," says Jay, his voice breaking over the phone. "No matter what I do, I don't think I've reached my potential in speedskating."

But that's beside the point, he says. The focus is on Denny now.

"I'm very excited to support him … to be a part of a big dream," Jay said.

When the gun goes off in Vancouver, it will take just one corner for Denny to know how close he is to realizing that dream.

"You can feel it," he says of a medal-calibre skate. "It's like perpetual energy."

And as a sea of eyes watches with heavy expectation, only one pair will really see what's coursing through Denny's veins.

"They understand each other," says Carol Morrison of the bond between her sons. "They're both competitors."

Greatness is a lot for one man to bear. Lucky for Denny, he hasn't had to carry it alone.