Speedskaters share message of teamwork they exhibited at Olympics
They are and will forever be inextricably linked.
Denny Morrison and Gilmore Junio, paragons of the word teammate.
All Canadians know the story. Speedskater Junio, giving his 1,000-metre spot to Morrison at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. The latter fell in qualification but would have a better chance at a medal for Canada ... and a silver it would be.
So there could be no better pair to speak about teamwork, something they did with great gusto at Ecole Holy Name on Thursday morning. Going to schools to speak to impressionable minds is something both athletes enjoy because it’s also something they looked forward to as kids.
“Don Blair came to my school and I still remember asking him, ‘If you come back to my school, will you remember me?’” Morrison, 34, recalled. “And he said, ‘Are you going to do something that makes me remember you?’ I saw him probably in 2015 or ’16 and he said ‘I remember you.’ That was kind of neat.
“Today we shared the message of teamwork and using the analogy of the diamonds and how diamonds are created under the most intense pressure on earth.”
Junio, the 29-year-old Calgarian, echoed that sentiment.
“That was one of my favourite things in school, the assemblies and seeing who would come through,” Junio said. “It means so much to me to talk to the kids and pass along what I’ve learned.”
Morrison was a gold medallist in 2010 in team pursuit at the Vancouver Games, yet the scenario he shared with Junio remains a highlight if not “the” highlight of his career.
“There’s a gold, which represents the pinnacle of the sport,” he surmised. “You’re on the top of the podium, singing O Canada at the Richmond Olympic Oval, at the Canada Olympics. That’s a special moment.
“But with the silver medal and Gilmore, that represents more than victory. There’s different ways to define victory. One is that gold, but it wasn’t as big of a victory for me personally as the silver, what that meant. It said something about my own growth as a teammate. If it wasn’t for that team dynamic, I don’t think that gesture would have happened for Gilmore.”
“I think just on a daily basis I rely on my teammates so much,” Junio said. “It’s really ingrained in me. As much as I’ve accomplished in my career and as much as Denny has accomplished, I don’t think we’d be where we are without the teammates and the teamwork. I take a lot of pride in it.”
Their paths have now diverged: Morrison, after a terrific international career which includes two other Olympic medals and countless accolades, is retired and gearing up for medical school. Junio is still chasing after prizes on the ice so he’ll be front and centre next weekend with the ISU World Cup at the Olympic Oval.
During the competition, Morrison — who was in a motorcycle crash in 2015 and suffered a stroke in 2016 — will be honoured and it’s something he’s thought a great deal about.
“Because of the motorcycle crash and even after Sochi I wasn’t sure I’d continue, so I took a year off,” he explained. “I have thought about it and I’ve gone through different waves. I want to thank these people and these people ... The more people you thank almost dilutes how thankful you are to each person. But it takes a village and that whole thing. There are literally hundreds and thousands of people involved.
“My entire philosophy of life is made up of all of these tidbits of information without which I don’t know if I would have achieved what I did in my career. So how do
I thank everyone I need to thank? That’s kind of my dilemma now, after having thought about my retirement for a decade. You realize it’s all about other people.”
Morrison’s newest goal is not just to become a doctor but work at the Olympics as lead physician, tying himself back into speedskating that way.
For Junio, whose short-term objectives are the World Cup and the world championships in three weeks, Morrison has created a void which is difficult to fill.
“When you lose a skater like Denny on the team, it’s definitely a lot of experience and knowledge you’re losing,” he said. “But I think he’s been great, being around the team and trying to help the next generation. He’s an example of how to give back. I think there’s a little more pressure on the veteran group to take on the mantle that Denny’s left. We’re going to miss him but it will be great to celebrate his career next weekend.”