HUGHES SILVER AT WORLD SINGLE DISTANCE SPEED SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Denny Morrison of Fort St. John, B.C., won gold in the men’s 1,500 and Kristina Groves of Ottawa stepped on the podium two more times Sunday to finish with five medals at the world single distance championships in long track speed skating.
Clara Hughes of Glen Sutton, Que., also took silver in the women’s 5,000. Canada ended the competition with nine medals – three of each colour equalling its best ever total from last year.
‘’It’s pretty cool to be world champion,’’ said Morrison, also third in Saturday’s 1,000. ‘’It’s a different feeling. The key to my win was having a really good strategy. I had a great start and tried to fix what I didn’t do well in the 1,000. I had a smooth race and I was able to hold my pair off at the end.’’
Steven Elm of Red Deer, Alta., was eighth and Arne Dankers of Calgary 13th.
Groves completed Canada’s best ever individual performance at the worlds with a silver in the 1,000 and a bronze in the 5,000. She also took gold this week in the 3,000, helped Canada to silver in the pursuit and won bronze in the 1,500. She now has 10 career medals at these championships.
‘’It was really awesome,’’ said Groves. ‘’I felt like every time I went out to race I had this total clarity and focus that let me get into the race right away. I executed the way I knew I could. It was an awesome feeling.’’
In the men’s 3,200-metre pursuit the Netherlands took the gold. Canada was fourth with Morrison, Dankers and Elm. The Dutch finished atop the medal standings with four gold, three silver and four bronze, followed by Canada and Germany at 3-1-3.
