Winter Olympics: Eve Muirhead named in Team GB

Scotland's Eve Muirhead, along with fellow world champions Anna Sloan, Vicki Adams and Claire Hamilton have been named in Team GB for Sochi 2014. Picture: AP

Muirhead, who skipped her rink to gold in the World Championships in March this year with a last stone victory over Sweden, will once again be joined by team-mates Claire Hamilton , Anna Sloan and Vicki Adams as they look to add Olympic gold in 2014 to their 2013 world title.

Their selection was confirmed at a press conference arranged by the British Olympic Association at Braehead, near Glasgow, this afternoon.

Muirhead said: “I am thrilled to be part of Team GB in Sochi. This will be my second Olympics and I’m excited - having won the worlds this year we want to continue our winning streak. It’s not often we get to compete as Team GB and, as proud as we are to compete for Scotland, it’s great to be part of a British team too.”

Muirhead made her Olympic debut when she skipped her rink at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games at the age of just 19, finishing seventh. Her team-mate Sloan also has experience of competing for Team GB after she skipped her rink to gold at the 2009 European Youth Olympic Winter Festival in Poland.

Muirhead’s rink have been competing together in senior competitions since the 2011-12 season, winning the European title and finishing sixth in their first World Championship. They built on that success with wins at the World Championship and Players’ Championship last season.

Now all in their early 20s, the rink have been competing together for seven years in various teams throughout their junior careers. Adams was part of Muirhead’s rink in all three of her World Junior title wins as skip, with Sloan also present for two of their triumphs.

Hamilton joined Muirhead’s senior rink in late 2011 but had previously enjoyed success with Sloan as they won the 2011 Universiade for Great Britain and finished ninth at the World Championship the same year for Scotland.

Past glory

Team GB have won two curling gold medals at past Olympic Winter Games, the most recent as Rhona Howie (previously Rhona Martin) skipped her rink to victory in a nail-biting final against Switzerland at the Salt Lake 2002 Winter Olympics. Howie is now the current women’s Head Coach and is hoping to use her experience to guide the rink to success in Sochi.

Howie said: “Competing at an Olympics is the highlight of any athlete’s career and I’d like to congratulate each of the girls on their selection - they’re a very talented team and they all richly deserve their places on the flight to Sochi. I am proud to be their Head Coach and look forward to helping them continue on their journey to the Games.”

The gold medal links continue as Howie’s coach from 2002, Mike Hay, is Team GB’s Chef de Mission for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games. Hay, a World Championship silver medallist himself, thinks Muirhead and her team are well set for success in Sochi.

Hay said: “I am delighted to welcome the curlers as the first members of Team GB. They are reigning World Champions and earned the right for Team GB to be represented at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games with their performances at the past two World Championships.

“The 2013 season was their best ever, adding the Players’ Championships to their world crown so they know how to win and what it takes to be successful at major events. With Eve skipping the rink they also have Olympic experience to draw on from Vancouver 2010 so they are well equipped to challenge for medals in Sochi.”

February 2014

The Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games take place from 7-23 February 2014 and the curling competition will run from the 10-20 February.

For the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games Team GB is likely to consist of approximately 50 athletes across six sports (biathlon, bobsleigh, curling, luge, skating and skiing) and 11 disciplines (biathlon, bobsleigh, skeleton, curling, luge, figure skating, short track speed skating, alpine skiing, cross country skiing, freestyle skiing, snowboard). Currently Team GB has qualified 13 quota places in two sports – figure skating and curling.