Bruce Mouat was just eight years old when he became obsessed with Granite, the first and only curling video game.
Since then, he has transformed his gaming passion into a lifetime of success with Olympic silver and two world titles.
The Scot skipped his rink onto the Olympic podium at Beijing 2022, becoming the first person to represent Team GB in both the men's and mixed doubles curling in the process.
Here's the story of how Bruce Mouat soared to into the curling record books.
A family of curlers
Mouat was introduced to the sport by his dad after he had seen an article about a club in the newspaper.
With no Mouat having ever curled before, it soon became a family favourite, with Bruce watching on from the side lines as his older brother Colin took it up, until he was also old enough to join in.
And he has hardly stepped off the ice since.
He said: “My mum and dad always supported me through school - they realised I wasn’t the most academic, so they were quite keen for me to focus on something that I loved and that was always sport.
“When I found curling and I really took to it, I basically got their blessing to really pursue it."
Junior success and the beginning of Team Mouat
Winning silverware has long been a consistent aspect of Mouat’s curling career, first skipping his initial squad with Bobby Lammie to back-to-back Scottish junior titles in 2015 and 2016.
That also included a world junior title in 2016.
Turning to the senior circuit for the 2017-18 season, Mouat and Lammie finally completed the Team Mouat we all know and love as they welcomed cousins Grant Hardie and Hammy McMillan Jr. to their rink.
Cue a journey of learning and success that has seen all four curlers soar into the history books.
At the 2017 Boost National, Mouat captured his first career Grand Slam title and became the youngest skip and only the second-ever non-Canadian skip to win a men's Grand Slam event.
A year later he led his team to a first European Championship crown and clinched a maiden world championship medal with bronze in Las Vegas after beating Korea's Team Kim in the medal match, backing it up with a silver in 2021.
Beijing 2022
A maiden Olympics in Beijing saw Mouat make history as soon as he stepped onto the ice as the first person to represent Team GB in both men's and mixed doubles curling at a Games.
But his time on the ice was bittersweet after missing out on gold to Niklas Eden's Sweden in the men's final and finishing fourth in the mixed doubles alongside childhood friend Jen Dodds.
Mouat and Dodds came into the Games as reigning world championships following their home exploits in Aberdeen but narrowly missed out on bronze to Sweden.
While in the men's final, Mouat attempted a difficult shot to give Great Britain a chance to steal for the win in a tense extra end, but his final stone narrowly missed its target leaving Sweden with a 5-4 triumph.
"We've been preparing for this for about five years and this is the moment we were hoping to have that win, so we're very disappointed," said Mouat.
"But it was a great week from us. We played really well throughout the tournament. We were hoping to have that performance today. It was pretty close but we gave them too much of a head start."
Two-time world champion
The 2022-23 season was a case of good things come to those who wait for Team Mouat.
After a slow start, it was nothing but all guns blazing for the Scottish side.
They beat hosts Canada to clinch their maiden world championship title in Toronto, racking up such a lead, their opposition were forced to concede in a move that shocked Mouat himself.
“That was unreal," he said. "I didn’t expect the final to go that way, but I’m just so proud of everyone who’s been part of our team, I’m over the moon.”
Jump forward two years later, and back in Canada, it was gold again.
Scotland 🏴 clinch the gold medal! 🥇 Bruce Mouat makes the draw for one and it's a 4-5 win for the Scots.
— World Curling (@worldcurling) April 6, 2025
Watch all games live on The Curling Channel! https://t.co/u1IYfEBOkx#curling #WMCC #scotland pic.twitter.com/7C2st1b3K5
Unable to automatically qualify to the semi-finals, Team Mouat had to do it the hard way and were forced to beat 2024 world champions Sweden, and Canada once more to go for a shot at gold.
And with a thrilling 5-4 win over Switzerland, it was a second world crown.
“I’m so proud of how we did over the last two days,” said Mouat. “It’s been an interesting season, with some highs and some lows, but this is definitely the highest of the highs.”
Grand Slam history
With another world title and a European silver in the bag this season, you'd think Team Mouat had had won their fair share.
But there is always more history to be made.
Mouat led his curling quartet to their 10th Grand Slam victory in Toronto.
The 30-year-old delivered a do-or-die final shot to hit the narrowest of targets to win The AMJ Players’ Championship and make history as the first team to win four Grand Slam of Curling titles in a single season.
“That was the best possible finish to the season for us to win The Players’ and get four Slams,” said Mouat
“The history stuff is pretty special. Knowing that we’re the only team to have done this is amazing.
"It’s a pretty incredible feeling and I’m a little overwhelmed with all the emotions, which I think I showed in that last shot.”
Sportsbeat 2025