Denny Morrison Website

By Grant Roberton, The Globe and Mail Posted Thursday, February 18, 2010 12:13 AM ET

CTVOlympics.ca

Denny Morrison didn't have to search for the words to describe his race Wednesday. It was his most disappointing performance ever.

The speed skater from Fort St. John, B.C., went into the 1,000-metre event as a heavy favourite to be on the podium, and to challenge defending-champion Shani Davis of the U.S. for gold. Instead, he came away empty-handed in a painful day for Canada on the long track. Morrison placed 13th, with a time of 1:10.30, more than a second back of Davis, his rival and former training partner.

"I don't even remember my race," a shell-shocked Morrison said afterward. "I don't know It's one of those races where I kind of fell apart." He was the highest-ranking Canadian. Jeremy Wotherspoon of Red Deer, Alta., skating in his final Olympic race, placed 14th with a time of 1:10.35.

François-Olivier Roberge of St-Nicolas, Que. placed 20th with a time of 1:10.74, while Kyle Parrot of St. Albert, Alta., placed 24th in a time 1:10.89.

But it was Morrison that the Canadian squad was pinning its hopes on. After a season of inconsistent races, Morrison said he felt good heading into yesterday, but couldn't find the top-end speed he is accustomed to showing in big events.

"It's just frustrating," he said. "Four years I spent getting myself psyched up, getting my confidence up, getting my technique perfected, my equipment honed." The 1,000-metre event was one of two races in which Morrison was expecting to make the podium. The other is the 1,500-metre event on Saturday.

A visibly upset Morrison said he was going to go into the change room and get out some anger from the race. He would also use his disappointing time to motivate himself for the 1,500-metres.

"I have got to use [the 1,000-metre] that way to make it positive for myself," he said.

"It's a just bad race on a day that is really bad day to have a bad race,'' teammate Jeremy Wotherspoon empathized with Morrison.

The skater from Red Deer, Alta., has been in the same position, coming into an Olympics heavily favoured for gold, but falling short. Wotherspoon encountered the same feelings at the past two Games, and said Morrison has to do his best to regroup for Saturday if he is to have a shot at a medal.

"I would definitely tell him he's got another race," Wotherspoon said. "He's just got to sit back and relax and look at what has worked for him."