Denny Morrison Website

By George Johnson, Canwest Olympic Team February 20, 2010 9:13 PM

In this file photo, Denny Morrison of Canada warms down after finishing a disappointing 13th in the men's 1000 meters speedskating competition in Richmond, BC. Photograph by: John Mahoney, Canwest News Service

RICHMOND, B.C. - Denny Morrison arrived at the Richmond Olympic Oval for Saturday afternoon’s 1,500-metre long-track speed skating final in search of redemption.

He left it still mired in frustration, after a 1:46.93 skate left him well adrift of the podium, in ninth position.

In second place at the time on his bell lap, Morrison faded badly at the end and passed by Ivan Skobrev of Russia.

Disgusted with himself in the 1,000 metres on Wednesday, and after publicly, and with merciless thoroughness, trashing his performance in that race, the 2009 bronze and silver World Championship medalist from Fort St. John, B.C. spent the last three days igniting flagging confidence and working on technical issues with his coach Marcel Lacroix.

The 1,500 is considered Morrison’s best. He ranked fourth in World Cup points entering these Olympics. So, if anything, Saturday’s showing might’ve hurt even more than Wednesday’s.

Mark Tuitert of the Netherlands, in 1:45.57, won the gold medal, favored American star Shani Davis the silver, in 1:46.10 and

Norwegian veteran Havard Bokko, in 1:46.19, the bronze.

If anyone could’ve claimed the right to feel a trifle overwhelmed by the occasion, that was Regina’s Lucas Makowsky, drawn in the final pair of the day alongside the star-spangled Davis, world record holder in the 1,500 and out to make amends for an upset at the distance by Italian Enrico Fabris at Turin four years ago.

Makowsky finished 19th.

Mathieu Giroux of Saint Nicolas, Que., paired off with Fabris, skated a 1:47.62. Fabris in defence of his title, meanwhile, posted a 1:47.02 and finished well up the track.

Minnesdosa, Man.,’s Kyle Parrott ended his first Olympic experience in 37th, and last, place, in 1:52.67.

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