McCorkell inconsolable after disappointing Olympic debut

From Ryan Bangs, Sportsbeat, in Vancouver

SEVEN-times British champion Jenna McCorkell was inconsolable after a disappointing Olympic figure skating debut.

UPSET: Great Britain's Jenna McCorkell fights back the tears after her short program failed to advance her to Thursday's free skate (Getty Images)

McCorkell failed to land a triple lutz and double toeloop, falling heavily. 

It meant her score of 40.64 - which was nearly 14 points down on her season's best at last month's European Championships - didn't advance her to Thursday's free skate, where Korea's Kim Yu-Na will start hot favourite.

It's a major blow for the 24-year old, who missed out on an Olympic debut in Turin through injury and has been battling illness since the turn of the year.

And she admitted she was at a loss to explain why it happened.

"I have had great short results all season, even at the European Championships where I felt the worst I ever had," said McCorkell.

"I had been sick for more than a month and still managed to get a personal best which is 13 points more than here.

"I feel really bad that I did what I did but I can't change it now. I have no idea how it happened, I felt good when I was warming up.

"There was a long wait in between the performances and that gave me a lot of time to think and I wish I could change it but I can't.

"I have had an amazing experience and I am really grateful to have been able to perform. I am just devastated - that is the only way to describe how I feel." 

McCorkell - who is married to Belgian skater Kevin van der Perren - will now look towards next month's World Championships in Turin as she looks to rebound from her frustrations at the Pacific Coliseum.

"It is so hard but I have to deal with it now because it is over. I have got to learn from it, that is the way sport goes," she added.

"I am not the only one to have had this happen to them but that doesn't stop it hurting.

"That's it for me, I definitely won't be going again in the free programme and that is the most annoying thing."

 

AS IT HAPPENS; Day 13 of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver